Suite Life on Campus
by SprouseGoose
Summary: First, there were three seasons of SLOZAC.  Then, there were three seasons of SLOD.  This is the sequel to the sequel and will follow the adventures of everyone as they begin the next chapters of their lives.
1. What We Did Over Our Summer Vacations

_Episode 1_

_"What We Did Over Our Summer Vacations"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did. _

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them. _

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

It was Saturday morning, August, 20, 2011, and the Martin suite on the 23rd floor of the Boston Tipton was still dark with no one stirring. Well, almost. At a few minutes after nine, Cody Martin came walking back into the suite carrying a large basket of laundry. While he wouldn't be leaving for college for another week, he wanted to go ahead and pack away his winter wardrobe in his trunk. Besides, he wanted all of his laundry done that morning if it was at all possible. As he folded his clothes, he couldn't help but smile. In a matter of hours, the girl of his dreams would be arriving in Boston, and in less than a week, they would both be heading off to Yale University together to begin their college careers. As he stood there folding, Cody almost felt like laughing. If anyone had told him he would be standing there doing this after the events of the day of his graduation from high school, he would have been skeptical. But it was true. After initially being rejected, he was going to get to go to college with Bailey after all.

It had began when he had found out that he was rejected from his dream school, Yale University, after graduating as a co-valedictorian from Seven Seas High with his girlfriend, Bailey Pickett. Being the proactive kind of guy that he was, he didn't waste any time finding out why he was rejected. After their night in New York City taking in a Yankee game and then saying goodbye to their friend Woody the next morning, Kurt and Carey had agreed to stop in New Haven on the way back to Boston for Cody to speak with the Yale admissions officer. And what he found out nearly sent him over the edge.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Martin. Your application was one of our best. Your extra curricular activities were outstanding as were your letters of recommendation. And your SAT scores were well above our median average. But your high school transcript was...well, quite frankly...not very good."

"What do you mean my transcripts weren't that good?" Cody asked incredulously. "I graduated with a 5.0 GPA and co-valedictorian of my graduating class!"

The admissions officer checked his records again and shook his head. "I don't think so. According to your transcript, the only A you got in high school was in wood shop, and you got that in your lone year at Cheevers High School in Boston. At Seven Seas High, you never got an A in anything..."

Cody shook his head in disbelief. "Let me see that!"

The admissions officer turned his computer to show Cody, and Cody just studied the screen. What he saw made absolutely no sense to him whatsoever. Well, it didn't until he noticed something at the top of the screen. And when he did, he groaned.

"This isn't my transcript! This is the high school transcript of my twin brother, Zack! Didn't you notice the names and social security numbers were different?"

The admissions officer looked at the screen again. And when he saw that what Cody had said was indeed true, his face went white as a ghost. "Oh my...I didn't notice."

"Well then get my real transcript and you'll see that I am indeed worthy of Yale. You already said everything else I had was great. Once you get my real transcript, it should be no problem, right?"

The admissions officer sighed. "Unfortunately, I can't do that. For one, we already sent out our acceptance letters for a full incoming freshman class. For another, there is no way we can get your transcripts now. As you know, Seven Seas High no longer exists. The best I can offer you is to put you on our waiting list, but there are no guarantees that your name will come up..."

The entire way home, Cody just sat in the back of the car and never said a word. On the inside, he was seething mad. But there was no avenue for him to vent his anger. While he could get on Zack's case for not doing better in high school, it wasn't his fault that Seven Seas High had sent in the wrong transcript. Cody could only shake his head and hope that his name came up on the wait list. Beyond that, he had to think of how he was going to break this news to Bailey. How was he going to tell her that the only reason they weren't going to get to go to college together was because Seven Seas High screwed up? But after everything they had been through together, he knew he had to be honest with her. So, he decided to wait to tell her until after they had competed in the Mathlympics so he could tell her in person.

A few weeks later, Cody was reunited with Bailey at the Mathlympics where the young couple teamed up and crushed the Albanians as Bailey had predicted. After a victory kiss, they headed out to celebrate their win. At first, Cody was hesitant to ruin the jubilant mood of their evening, but he knew he had to get everything out on the table. He would never hide anything from her ever again. So, taking a deep breath, Cody told Bailey about the mixed up transcripts and everything that the admissions officer told him.

"So, at least I'm on the waiting list now to get in. We'll have to keep our fingers crossed and hope that I get bumped up."

Bailey shook her head. "I can't believe this! This is so unfair!"

Cody gave her a wry smile. "I always told you there were drawbacks to being a twin. The funny thing is that...for once...this isn't Zack's fault."

But Bailey didn't laugh. Instead, she began thinking as she was sure there had to be someway for them to get over this latest hurdle. After everything else, she wasn't going to let this get in their way. They had survived temporarily breaking up over a stupid misunderstanding. They had survived a mad scientist hell bent on merging Cody and Zack into one mind. They had survived a tornado. They had even survived Mr. Tipton trying to rip them apart again once they were back together. Bailey stopped right there, and an idea started to formulate in her mind. She smiled at Cody.

"Sweetie, do you trust me?"

Cody smiled back at her. "You know I do, Bailey. More than anyone in this world."

"I have an idea. Its kind of crazy, but I think it might work."

"I'm all ears. I'm willing to try anything..."

"Alright, here's what we're going to do..."

Cody had to admit. It was crazy...but it was also pure genius. Of course, he expected nothing less from his Bailey. But the problem was going to be timing. A quick phone call to an old friend however made all of that easily taken care of. All they had to do was be prepared for when their opportunity arose. The only problem was, their opportunity was going to be the next day, so they had no time to waste. So, they cut their celebration short and headed back to Bailey's room to get to work immediately. Once they finished, Cody looked over what they had done and laughed.

"Bails, if this works, I will forever be in your debt..."

She smiled at him. "How about we call us even after everything you did to help save my family's farm?"

He smiled back at her. "I did that because I love you and didn't want to be apart from you."

"I'm doing this because I love you and don't want to be apart from you either..."

The next day, both headed to the airport to head home. But they got there earlier than necessary. Using the information London had supplied them, they gained entrance to the exclusive airport lounge and made their way over towards a man sitting back and reading the paper.

"Hello, Mr. Tipton..."

Wilfred Tipton lowered his paper and saw two young adults standing there smiling at him. He paused trying to remember who they were when it dawned on him. He always remembered people who cost him money.

"Well, well...If it isn't Cody Martin and Bailey Pickle..."

"That's Pickett!"

Wilfred shrugged. "Like it matters. What do you want?"

Bailey smiled. "We just wanted to tell you two words...You're served!" And with that, Bailey dropped a document into his hands.

Wilfred frowned. "Served? For what?" He began laughing. "Your family got their farm back..."

"This isn't about that. You see..." Bailey proceeded to explain how Seven Seas High had screwed up Cody's high school transcript that they sent to Yale University. She further explained that due to that act of negligence, Cody was denied admission to Yale University. "So, as Seven Seas High is no longer a legal entity, the responsibility for their torts and malfeasance falls to its legal owner. And Mr. Tipton, that would be you..."

Mr. Tipton shook his head and grumbled. "I knew that stupid sea school was a mistake." He paused and began laughing. "Okay, sue me. I'll tie you up in court so long that by the time anything is settled on it, you'll be on social security, Martin!"

Cody shrugged and smiled. "That's fine. I spoke with Alfred St. Mark last night. I told him that I had some possible dirt on you in the way you run your businesses. Seems the two of you are both bidding for a contract with the same firm. He thinks any negative information he has on you can only help his cause. So, he's really interested in talking to me when I get back to Boston."

Wilfred stopped laughing. "You wouldn't!"

Bailey grinned. "He would!"

Wilfred slumped back into his chair and began muttering to himself. The contract Cody was talking about could be quite lucrative, but the old man deciding it was a real stickler for business ethics. Finally, he looked back up at them. "Fine. What will it take for all of this to go away and you not to go...chat with St. Mark?"

Bailey continued to grin. "That's simple. You are a very connected person, Mr. Tipton. I'm sure you could make the call or have someone who owes you a favor make the call to get Cody into Yale in five minutes..."

Tipton pulled out his phone and sighed. "Is that all?"

Cody smiled and shook his head. "Not quite. As you know, Yale is a very expensive university. Don't you think Bailey and I would be worthy recipients of Tipton scholarships to pay for our tuition, room & board, books, and a generous living stipend?"

Wilfred shook his head. "Consider it done." He paused. "I'm making a note to myself to hire you two when you get out of school. I'd rather have you working for me than against me. I refuse to let you two get the best of me a third time..."

He proceeded to make a phone call, and five minutes later, Cody was told an acceptance letter would be over-nighted to him the next day . Cody and Bailey thanked him, tore up the complaint they had given him and left the VIP lounge and headed out into the main part of the airport. And as soon as they did, both pulled the other into a hug and began jumping up in joy.

"Bails...it worked!"

She laughed. "You and I get to go to school together now!"

"Yeah, we do...I can't wait!"

"Me either. Once you get your packet, we'll go through them and try to make sure we request the same residential college."

"Definitely."

She paused. "I owe you another one for getting me a full ride scholarship though. That wasn't part of our plan..."

"It was part of mine..." He smiled at her. "Bails, you owe me nothing. I was just making sure that there was no way you would ever get taken away from me ever again."

Bailey smiled back. "Like that could happen."

"Is there anyway possible you can come up to Boston a week before we're due to head to school? I want to show you around Boston. I've been to your hometown. I want to show you mine now."

She kept smiling. "Consider it done! Plus, my Mom wants to meet yours, so that will be a perfect opportunity."

Knowing they were going to be going to Yale together helped, but it didn't make them having to say goodbye to each other a couple of hours later any easier. But it did leave them both with a sense of peace and contentment as they headed home to finish off their summer apart. Besides, they would have their phones, emails, letters and webcams to keep in constant contact with each other. As the summer passed, each marked off every day on their calendars knowing they were a day closer to being together again. As Bailey marked off the last day on hers, she smiled. In a matter of hours, she would be on her way to Boston. Before then, she had to make sure she was packed and ready to go. The past week, she had been packing as much as she could, so that morning, she was just packing the final things like her chicken alarm clock.

"You about ready to go, Bailey?"

She turned around and saw her Dad and Grammy smiling at her. "Yeah, I think I am. I have everything packed, and all of my information for Yale is safely tucked away in my backpack which I'm using as my carry-on bag."

Clyde nodded. "Good." He paused. "Now, you tell Cody that I fully expect him to take care of you up there."

Bailey smiled. "I will, Daddy. But I have every confidence he'll do just that."

"I hope so. I just don't want to see a repeat of before."

"That won't happen. We're both a lot wiser now I think. We know not to be stupid and to actually talk to each other if we have a concern."

"Good. But you let him know I have no qualms about burying him out in the storm shelter if he hurts you again!"

Bailey was about to say something when Grammy spoke up. "Clyde, hush!" She shook her head before turning to Bailey and smiling. "You make sure you take care of him too. You have a good one in that handsome young man. Its obvious to everyone how much he loves you. I mean...he did drop everything when he thought you were in trouble. And if not for him, we might not still have this farm."

Bailey smiled at her grandmother. "I know, Grammy. I love him that much too."

"Good. Now, I fully expect you to bring him home for Christmas. If you're going to be in Boston for Thanksgiving, he can come here for the holidays."

Bailey laughed. "Cody has already said he'd love to come for Christmas. He can't wait to see everyone again and finally meet all of my sisters. But, we do have to head back a little early. Mr. Moseby and Miss Tutweiler are getting married on New Year's Eve. We have to head back up for it." She paused. "I'm really going to miss all of you here, but I'll be back before you know it."

"And we'll miss you too. Now, you better start loading the truck so you can go. And I'm sure you can't wait to call Cody too and talk to him."

Bailey smiled. "I will. And please. Take good care of Porkers for me." She turned to her father. "Which means I fully expect him to still be here for Christmas and not as the Christmas ham..." She pulled out her phone. "But for now, I need to call Cody."

Back in Boston, Cody had stepped out into the hallway to take a phone call.

"So, yours and your Mom's flight arrives at Logan at 4:00. I will be there at baggage claim waiting on you..." He listened and smiled. "Okay. I'll see you in a couple of hours. Love you too, Bails."

Cody closed his phone, and headed back inside his family's suite. Grabbing his laundry basket, he headed into his bedroom to began packing the latest load into his trunk. As as he did that, he couldn't help but get excited again that he would be with Bailey again in a few mere hours. He didn't even realize he was making noise or that he had woken up his brother. Of course, we he got hit in the back with a nerf football, he did. Turning, he glared at his brother.

"What was that for, Zack?" Cody yelled in a whisper as to not wake their mom up.

Zack yelled back in a whisper. "Keep it down! Some of us don't have big plans to get ready for or their girlfriends arriving in town today!"

Cody paused. "Still upset about Maya, huh?".

Zack glared at his brother and lied. "NO!"

Cody just looked at his brother. "Sure you aren't...If you weren't, that vein in your neck wouldn't throb every time someone says her name..."

Zack shook his head. "Fine...I'm still upset about her. Happy now?"

"No, I'm not. Well, I am happy, but not that you are still upset about Maya. But its to be expected. She was the first girl you bared your heart to, and she crushed you."

Zack pulled his pillow over his face. "Thank you so much for keeping reminding me of that."

"Look...I know how much it sucks to be separated from the woman you love...but its like they say...the people that matter the most to you have the power to hurt you the worst. I got lucky in that I got Bailey back. And I can't help but to be happy knowing that she'll be here in a few short hours. Maybe you'll get Maya back too?"

Zack just grunted. "I seriously doubt that. In case you forgot, she dumped me for Chris!"

Cody sighed. "That's Chad, and its a country, not a person..."

"Whatever!"

"Zack...I know I acted the exact same way when..."

Zack sat up. "Don't go there! You have your happy life now, I have my miserable one. Just keep all the lovey dovey stuff between you and Bailey away from me. Can you do that?"

Cody just grinned. "I'll try my best, but I can't promise anything. I mean...you yourself said that I've never been happier than when I was with her. Look...I know you're still going through some rough times but I'm sure things will get better. I mean...it did for me."

Zack sighed. "And how are thing going to get better for me? Bailey was still on the ship. Maya is halfway around the world!"

Cody paused. "I don't know. You never know when an opportunity will arise. Just don't close the door on it when it knocks..."

"If I agree to that, will you let me go back to sleep?"

"Of course, but I do still have to pack..."

Zack hurled a tennis ball at him. "Well, keep making that kind of racket, and you'll get more of those!"

Deciding that he would finish the rest of his packing once Zack was awake, Cody took another couple of loads down to the laundry room. Returning back to the suite, he sat down at the table and grabbed the Boston guide book sitting on it. Continuing an earlier project, he want back to jotting notes on post it notes and sticking them on pages of attractions he thought Bailey might want to see.

As he did that, Carey Martin finally stirred and woke up on the pull out couch in the suite. And as she blinked her eyes to get them to focus, she saw her son sitting at the table deep in thought. Carey just watched Cody for a moment and inwardly smiled at her youngest son. She was so proud of him for all that he had and was likely to accomplish, and she was happy for him that he finally got in the college of his dreams with the girl of his dreams. And she was even happier that it wasn't going to cost her a cent.

Carey recalled her and Kurt's first meeting with Bailey Pickett, and Carey couldn't have been more pleased with their first meeting. Bailey had made quite an impression on not only Cody and their friends but she also made a great impression on Carey and Kurt as well. Carey had a good feeling that even though Cody and Bailey had broken up once that deep down in her heart they would get married someday. Even though Carey had only formally met Bailey once, she already liked her and hoped to get to know her better over the next week. And Carey was really looking forward to meeting Eunice Pickett as well. She had a good feeling she would be meeting her future in-law.

Carey walked over to the table, sat down and just looked at Cody. Sensing that he was now being watched, he looked up and smiled at his mother.

"Good morning, Mom. I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"Good morning, Sweetie. And no you didn't. How is my baby boy this morning?"

Cody's eyes went wide. "Mom! Ixnay on the baby boy stuff when Bailey gets here!"

Carey laughed. "Oh...alright. I wouldn't want to embarrass you in front of your girlfriend...even though Zack says she's already seen the video of you potty training..."

"Don't remind me..." He sighed. "Thank you though for agreeing to that."

Carey got up to fix herself a bowl of cereal. When she sat back down, she looked over at Cody again, it looked like he was about a million miles away with a dopey grin on his face. Smiling, she cleared her throat to get his attention. That did the trick, and he looked up at his mother again.

"Huh?"

"Cody, what were you just thinking about?"

He smiled. "I was just thinking about Bailey and what all in Boston I wanted to show her this week."

She smiled back. "Good. I hope you two have fun this week. When is she supposed to get here?"

"I'm picking up her and her Mom about four."

"Good. I can't wait to meet Mrs. Pickett and to get to know Bailey better."

"Just remember. No embarrassing me this week...which means no pulling out baby pictures and videos."

Carey laughed. "Cody, do you really think there is anything I could do to really embarrass you? I mean...Bailey has known you for three years now. And according to you, no one knows you better than her..."

Cody sighed. "Still..."

"Alright, I'll try to be on my best behavior..." Carey paused and let out a little laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh...its nothing. I just think its sweet, that's all. You care enough that you want to look good in her eyes. I can appreciate that. If Bailey is that special to you, then I really can't wait to get to know her better..." She smiled. "...I mean...she probably will be my daughter-in-law at some point, right?"

"Mom!"

"Oh please! I read your e-mails and letters from that marriage project you did and Esteban's wedding. I know you two have already discussed the topic..."

Cody sighed. "I know. This is just a topic that's not easy discussing with my mother. I remember how upset you got when Zack and I told you that we wanted to go to movies with girls instead of you. This topic is a whole lot bigger than that..."

"Yeah, it is...but you'll be eighteen next month. In the eyes of the law, you are a man now. I don't have quite the influence over either of you or Zack that I once did. For the past three years, you've pretty much lived your own lives without needing me..."

Cody smiled. "Mom, whether we admit it or not, we'll always need you. Just didn't know how you would handle not being the most important woman in my life anymore..."

Carey laughed. "Well, I don't like it, but I have to learn to accept it. That's why I want to get to know Bailey better this week."

Later that afternoon, about three o'clock, Cody left the Boston Tipton and headed over to Logan International Airport. After parking in short term parking, he headed inside the airport. Checking the monitors, he found Bailey's flight and saw it was on-time to land. Unfortunately, post 9/11, he was unable to be at the gate to meet her, but when her plane landed, he saw which baggage claim carousel her flight was going to use, and he made his way over to it. Thinking ahead, he went ahead and grabbed one of the airports luggage carts figuring they would need it. The next twenty minutes seemed to last an eternity as Cody was scanning the crowd coming his way hoping to spot Bailey and her mother. Finally, he did see her just as she saw him. And once again, the ran towards each other and pulled each other into a tight embrace. Pulling back slightly, both leaned in to kiss the other.

"Glad we finally got this right for once..."

Bailey laughed. "Me too. I'm glad we didn't bounce off of each other again..."

"Well, I'm glad you're finally here."

"Me too..." Bailey leaned in and kissed him again. And that was just fine with Cody. To others in the airport, they smiled seeing two people showing how much they had missed each other. And Cody and Bailey would have continued kissing each other except they heard someone clear their throat. Both, broke apart and turned to see Eunice Pickett smiling at them both.

"Good to see you again, Cody."

Cody blushed. "And good to see you again too, Mrs. Pickett. Welcome to Boston."

"Thank you, but like I told you before...please call me Eunice."

Cody nodded. "Yes Mrs...Eunice. I've already grabbed a luggage cart, so that should make things a whole lot easier. And when we get back to the Tipton, my Mom is anxious to finally meet you and to meet Bailey again."

Eunice smiled again. "I look forward to that as well. Lets get our things then."

So, that's what they did. Since Bailey was moving into her dorm, she was traveling heavy. Fifteen minutes later, the luggage cart was full, and that didn't include Eunice's lone bag that she was carrying herself. The three of them headed out of the airport and out to the parking lot. Cody pressed the button on his key fob, and the trunk opened slightly.

Bailey turned to him and smiled. "Is this your Mom's car?"

He smiled back at her. "Actually, its mine or rather ours to take to New Haven. Dad actually sold his greatest hits, and after our scholarships, he decided to buy me a car after I gave the other one to Zack. But unlike the convertible, this one is front wheeled drive with all wheel drive capabilities for New England winters, has plenty of trunk space, and its a hybrid that gets almost 43 miles to the gallon. And in honor of our future alma mater, I chose Yale blue as a color."

She grinned. "Its practical, environmentally conscious and full of school spirit. I love it!"

"I hoped you would. Lets get everything you won't need this week and put it in the trunk first. We can just leave it in there and save us time next week."

"Good idea."

Both went to work finding the best way to maximize space in the trunk as Eunice just watched them, smiled and shook her head. Ten minutes later, they were on the road back to the hotel, and twenty minutes after that, Cody parked the car in the underground parking garage. Bailey and Eunice grabbed the bag each would need, and all three of them headed up to the lobby.

"Bailey...Eunice...Welcome to the Boston Tipton."

Both ladies just looked around at the lobby in awe. Finally, Eunice turned to Cody. "You grew up here?"

He nodded. "Yeah, for three years. Is London waiting for you both, or do you know if you are supposed to pick up keys at the front desk?"

Bailey turned to him. "Front desk."

After getting a key, everyone headed up in the elevator towards the penthouse. And when they saw the majesty of it, both Bailey and Eunice shook their heads again.

"I should have known London would live in a place like this..."

Cody smiled. "Yeah. A word of warning though. If you have to go into her closet, take bread crumbs with you so you can find your way back out."

Eunice just gave him a look. "Seriously?"

Cody nodded. "Seriously. Some of London's maids have gotten lost in there and almost died of starvation until someone found them..."

Eunice's eyes went wide. "Well, why don't we head down and meet your mother then?"

So that's what they did. Heading down to the 23rd floor, Cody opened the door, and all three walked in to find Carey Martin sitting on the couch reading a magazine. When she saw them, she smiled, put it down, and stood up to greet them.

"Welcome. Nice to see you again, Bailey, and you must be Eunice Pickett. I'm Carey Martin."

"Nice to meet you, Carey and thank you for having us and for watching over Bailey for the next week."

"Its my pleasure. I look forward to getting to know Bailey better this week. After everything Cody has told me, I feel like I know her already."

Eunice smiled. "Well, you have yourself a fine son in Cody. If not for him, we might have lost our family farm."

Carey smiled back. "That sounds like him. I'm sure you remember my other son, Zack, too, but he left a couple of hours ago and didn't say when he would be back. Anyways, I'm sure you two are tired after your flight. How about we all sit down and get to know each other before we head downstairs for dinner." She turned to Cody. "Did you okay that with Chef Paulo?"

He nodded. "Sure did. He's anxious to meet Bailey too and said he would have something special prepared for us."

So, for the next several hours, everyone sat around the suite and just talked and got to know each other better. And about eight o'clock, they headed down for dinner. When they were done, the mothers had coffee while Cody took Bailey into the kitchen to introduce her formally to Chef Paulo. Eunice sipped her coffee and looked up at Carey.

"Well, I'm glad I got the chance to finally meet you. You can really tell a lot about someone by looking at where they come from. I can definitely see now where Cody gets a lot of his personality. He's a wonderful young man, and I'm sure you deserve most of the credit for that."

Carey laughed. "Thanks. He takes more after me while Zack takes more after their father. And I can see that everything Cody has told me about Bailey is spot on as well. She's a wonderful young lady herself."

"She's definitely one of a kind. Nothing like any of her sisters."

"Cody is the same way. Maybe that's why they get along so well with each other?"

"Probably so. Cody is nothing like my other daughters' boyfriends, but that makes sense to me. I have the feeling those two are in it for the long haul."

Carey nodded. "I agree with you 100%. That's one of the reasons I wanted to get to know Bailey further. I have a feeling she is going to be my daughter-in-law some day."

"I think you're right. And both have just turned or are almost eighteen now...its their lives to lead now."

"Tell me about it. That's tough for a mother to accept."

Eunice laughed. "Trust me...you learn to get used to it."

The next day, Eunice was scheduled to fly back home. She was more than satisfied that Bailey was in good hands. But before she did head out, she wanted to have a little heart to heart talk with Cody. And while Bailey headed for the ladies room in the airport, Eunice pulled him aside.

"Cody, I need you to promise me something."

"Name it."

"I want you to take good care of my Bailey for me."

Cody smiled. "Consider it done. Mrs...Eunice. I truly love your daughter. You can trust me when I say that I will do whatever it takes to...take care of her. I promise you. I won't let anything happen to her."

Eunice smiled back. "Good. I feel a lot better knowing she'll have someone there who will look out for her. When we first let her go to the boat for high school, I was worried how she would fit in."

"She fit in perfectly. Before long, she was one of our group, and...well...it was practically love at first sight for me."

She laughed. "Well, I know she loves you too. I'm glad to know you two will have each other to lean and rely on."

"Count on it. And we're both assigned to the same co-ed dorm. I'll only be a floor down if she needs anything. Plus, she is my favorite study partner."

Soon enough, Bailey rejoined them before it was time for her to say goodbye to her mother. After hugging her and promising to keep in touch and promising to be home for Christmas, Eunice headed off through airport security. With her gone, Cody and Bailey turned to look at each other and smiled.

"Alone at last..."

"Uh huh..." And that was followed by another kiss in the airport. When they finally broke apart for air, both were still smiling.

"So, do you want to start with business or pleasure?"

Bailey just looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we can start seeing all the things you want to see in Boston, or..."

"Or what?"

Cody grinned. "You remember all summer we've been talking about our best paths towards medical school?"

Bailey nodded. "I remember. We decided on double majors in Biology and Ethics, Politics & Economics. Why?"

"Well...I might have sort of looked ahead at the schedule of classes and blue book and come up with a possible schedule for us..."

"You did, huh?" She smiled. "So did I! Lets head back to the hotel and compare what we came up with!"

And that's what they did. And when they compared their research, both had to laugh when they saw they had come up with the exact same schedule.

Bailey laughed. "Well, that takes care of that...provided they let us have this."

Cody laughed too. "Very true. I think based on our AP scores, this is very doable. We just have to get our adviser on board to sign off on it."

"We will. Now...lets go see Boston!"

And go see Boston they did. For the next five days, they saw everything in Boston that Bailey wanted to see. They went to Boston Harbor, Lexington & Concord, saw a game at Fenway Park and a whole slew of other places of interest. They even spent time with Esteban, Francesca and Maddie again. But every night, they would have dinner in the Martin suite that Cody had prepared. A couple of nights, they went out to see movies and had date nights. They invited Zack to join them, but he begged off not wanting to be around the happy couple.

Finally, the day arrived for Cody and Bailey to leave for New Haven. And since they had to be there about ten in the morning, they were both up early and ready to get moving. With most of Bailey's things already in the car, all they had to do was pack up Cody's things. And while he was taking another load down to the car, Carey pulled Bailey off to the side.

"Before you two left, I was hoping you and I could chat."

Bailey nodded. "Of course."

Carey smiled. "Good. I need you to do me a favor."

"Name it."

"I know Cody is a man now, but as his mother, part of me will always see him as my baby boy. I know when I sent the boys off to the ship, they had each other as well as London and Moseby to look out for them. Well, this time, Cody won't have all of them to do that, but I was hoping you would take extra good care of him for me."

Bailey smiled. "Consider it done. Carey, I love Cody with all of my heart and soul like I know he does me as well. Of course I plan on taking care of him. I've experienced life with and without him. I have no desire to ever live it without him again."

Carey smiled back. "Good. I feel so much better knowing you will both have each other to lean and rely on. Now, if he gives you any problems, you let me know, and we'll straighten him out together."

Bailey laughed. "Sounds good to me."

Finally, the car was completely packed up, and Cody and Bailey were ready to go. Carey said one final goodbye to them before hugging them both. She also told them that since they were only going to be few hours away, she hoped they wouldn't be strangers. And both promised they would at least be back over Thanksgiving break. Carey smiled, and she headed off to to the market as she knew she would cry if she had to actually watch them drive away.

Both were ready to leave the suite and were about to leave when Zack actually walked out of the twins' bedroom.

"So, you two are heading out, huh?"

Cody nodded. "Yeah. About to leave right now actually."

Zack paused. "Well...you two go show them what Seven Seas High grads can do..."

Bailey nodded. "We will. What about you, Zack? What comes next for you?"

He shook his head. "No idea. I have no clue what I'm going to do. I was planning on taking the convertible out to see the country, but with gas prices being what they are..."

"What about Maya?" Hearing Bailey say that, Cody cringed.

Zack just glared at her. "Don't mention her name to me ever again!"

Bailey took a step back. "Sorry..."

Zack sighed. "Sorry. Every time I think about her, I get angry all over again."

"That should tell you that she still matters to you. I remember when Cody and I were being stupid, I did the same thing. But we got over our stupidity, and we're even stronger than ever now. Maybe there is still hope for you and Maya?"

Zack shook his head. "I doubt it...Anyways, will you two at least try to have fun at college? Don't study too much."

Cody smiled. "But Zack...that is fun for us."

"I know, and that's the sad thing. But...at least, I know Broseph here has someone there to look out for him." He looked at Bailey. "And I fully expect you to take care of him for me. I won't be around to watch out for him and take care of him like I have before..."

Bailey was about to say something but thought better of it. "I'll take good care of him."

Zack turned to Cody. "And you. I still don't understand it, but this girl here loves you. You better treat her right."

Cody smiled. "I definitely will."

"Good. Well, looks like I finally get our room to myself..."

Cody laughed. "Last time that happened, you made London drive you to Math Camp and tried to get me to come home early."

Zack rolled his eyes. "And you never let me forget it either..."

Cody hugged his brother. "I'll miss you too, Zack. Remember, we're only a phone call away if you need anything."

"Yeah, yeah...Get on out of here. I need to go back to bed..."

Cody and Bailey looked at each other and nodded. They headed downstairs to the car, and both buckled themselves in. Cody turned to Bailey.

"You ready to head to college?"

She smiled at him. "Lets go!"

_To be Continued..._

**Author's Note #1: First of all, I found out today that I passed the bar exam! So, as London would say...Yay me!**

**Author's Note #2: I know I mentioned a Season 4 collaboration that I was going to do with others. Well, that fell apart, and I've gone back to doing my own Season 4 that I had planned to do. The Season will have 25 'episodes', and I will bring back old characters and create new ones. I hope everyone enjoys it.**


	2. New Adventures, Old Faces

_Chapter 2_

_"New Adventures, Old Faces"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_New Haven_

About ten o'clock that Friday morning, Cody and Bailey finally arrived in New Haven, Connecticut. They spent almost the entire three hour drive discussing the adventure they were about to embark on with excitement and a twinge of anxiety. And while Cody drove, Bailey had organized everything they would need to check in once they got there. Pulling onto Yale's campus, they meticulously followed the directions they had to their new home, Lanman-Wright Hall, where they would live their freshmen years as members of Berkeley College. Bailey again double checked the information they had been sent just to make sure everything was there. When she was satisfied they had everything, she looked over at Cody.

"I'm so glad that were both in the same residential college and in the same dorm."

Cody looked over at her and smiled. "I'm still just happy we're going to both be here together."

Bailey smiled back. "Me too. It it will be nice having you just one floor below me instead of the several decks like on the boat."

He laughed. "True. I guess in college, separating the men and women isn't that big of a priority as we're all adults now." He paused. "I just wonder what kind of roommates we'll both have. Wonder if they'll be anything like Woody or London..."

"For some reason, I seriously doubt it. But at least you know your roommate's name..."

Cody nodded. "Dennis Wiznewsky." He paused, shook his head and sighed again.

Bailey smiled at him. "Its still driving you crazy, isn't it?"

"Yeah...it is. I know I've heard of that name before, but for the life of me, I can't remember from where."

"Well, look at it this way. Very soon, you'll figure out if you did know him before or not."

He smiled over at her. "You're right." He paused. "Either way, it is kind of weird that you still don't know the name of yours yet."

Bailey nodded. "Tell me about it. They sent me a name, and then a few weeks ago, they sent me another letter saying that whoever she was had decided against Yale and another roommate would be assigned to me once I got here."

He smiled at her again. "I'm sure you two will get along great. I mean...you did live with London for three years and didn't kill her."

She sighed. "I know. I'm really going to miss her. I guess I just got so used to her putting me down that I ignored it. Plus, she came through for me when I really needed her to."

"Yeah, she did. But I'll guess you'll have to get used to me constantly telling you how beautiful and smart and fun and..."

Bailey smiled. "I think I'll quite enjoy that actually..." She happened to glance over. "Look, Cody! A parking spot to unload right right in front of the dorm! Grab it!"

Deftly, Cody pulled into the spot as another car coming the other direction visibly showed their displeasure with what he had just done. Cody just laughed.

"They should know better than to deal with someone used to Boston traffic. Oh well. Would you get the parking permit out of the glove compartment and hang it on the rear view mirror so we don't forget?"

Bailey did, and both got out of the car to stretch their legs after the long car trip. Bailey grabbed her folder containing all of their information, and when she looked up, she noticed the sky was getting darker.

"Cody, I don't like the looks of those clouds."

Cody looked up too and shrugged. "I wouldn't worry about it. With Hurricane Irene coming up the eastern seaboard, we're bound to get some rain. Trust me, living in Boston, we got hit by the remnants of a couple of hurricanes before. They're more annoying than anything."

Bailey was still a little leery. "You sure?"

He smiled. "I'm positive. Besides, we've already survived a tornado. Compared to that, anything we get here will be nothing."

She smiled back. "Very true. Come on, lets go inside and become real college students."

Once inside the dorm, they saw a line had formed. Both just joined the back of it, and made jokes to each other about how it reminded them of their first day at Seven Seas High. Of course, Cody did tell her that he much preferred her as a female than as the boy she had been disguised as before. Finally, they reached the front of the line, and both were asked their names. After showing their drivers licenses, both were given their room keys, their mail box keys, a schedule of Freshman orientation events, and their student ID cards. And fortunately for them, the student post office was in the basement of their dorm.

"I say we go ahead and get our things unloaded while it hasn't started raining yet. And once we're done unpacking, we'll go through the schedule and circle the things we have to do and the things we want to do."

Bailey nodded. "Good idea. And we should hurry so we can move the car over to our assigned parking lot before it begins raining too."

So for the next hour, both began unloading the car. First, they unloaded all of Bailey's things out of the trunk of the car, and took several trips taking it all up to the top floor of the dorm. After several trips up that many stairs, both were getting a little bit tired. And fortunately for Bailey, when she first opened the door to her room, she saw that whoever her roommate was hadn't arrived yet. So, she got first pick of which side she wanted. Once she chose the right side like she had had on the boat, they began piling things on to her bed. After they unloaded all of her belongings, both paused to catch their breath. And that's when Bailey finally got a good look at her new home for the next year. Like her cabin on the boat, she had her own bed, closet, desk and chair. But unlike the cabin, this room had a more classic and less modern feel to it. And she actually liked that. Of course, both Bailey and Cody were used to their rooms having their own bathrooms, but both knew they would have to get used to having to share a floor bathroom for now.

"Ready to head down to get my stuff?"

Bailey nodded, and that's what they did. And for some reason, one less flight of stairs didn't make it any less tedious. Unlike with Bailey's room, there was evidence that Cody's roommate had already moved in. But, as there was no sign of him anywhere, both just shrugged. And unlike Bailey, Cody had to take the side of the room that was left over. But since it was the right side of the room, he was happy with that. Back at the Tipton and on the boat, he always slept on the right side of the room. An hour after they had arrived, both were completely unloaded in their dorm rooms. And not a minute too soon either. No sooner than they had brought in the last load of Cody's things in did they immediately head back out to move the car. And just as they walked back into their dorm from doing that, they heard a clap of thunder and heard rain pelting the windows in the lobby. Both just turned to the other and began laughing.

"Well, why don't we get unpacked? Whoever gets done first will go to the others room and meet them there."

Bailey headed upstairs, and both began unpacking her things. Another hour later, Bailey looked around her half of the room. Her clothes were all put away, her chicken alarm clock was out and set, her bed was made, her grandmother's quilt was hung on the wall by her bed, and numerous pictures of Cody and her and of Cody were set out prominently. Checking her watch, it was a little past noon. There was no sign of her roommate, and Cody hadn't come up to join her yet. Just as she was about to head down to Cody's room to join him, her cell phone began ringing. Seeing it was her Mom calling, she just smiled.

"Hey, Momma. We're here at our dorm, and from the looks of it, we got here just in time..."

Meanwhile, Cody was checking out his half of his room. His clothes were put away, his poster of Einstein sticking out his tongue was hung, his bed was made, and numerous pictures of Bailey and him and of Bailey were were set out prominently. He only had one thing left to do, and that was to hang his flat screen television that he had brought with him. And to say that Zack wasn't happy that he had was an understatement. Cody measured out and hung the wall mounts. He was about to lift the TV up when the door to his room flung open, and he saw what looked like a refrigerator with two legs walking into the room. The guy finally sat the refrigerator down and noticed he wasn't alone in the room any longer. He turned and smiled.

"Good to see you again, Cody..."

Cody's mouth fell open in surprise. "Tapeworm?"

_Boston_

Meanwhile, back in Boston, Zack was still asleep in his bed. But it wasn't a peaceful sleep. Instead, he was tossing and turning, and if anyone else had been there, they would have heard him calling out Maya's name. Unfortunately or maybe fortunately for him, he was soon woken up by someone pounding on the suite's door. Sighing, Zack got up and made his way out into the main part of the suite. He opened the door only to almost be knocked down by London storming into the suite.

"About time, Cody! You never make a Tipton wait for anything!"

Zack rolled his eyes. "One, I'm not Cody. I'm Zack! Two, you woke me up. Be lucky I even answered the door at all..."

London looked at him funny. "You're Zack? Where's Cody then?"

Zack sighed. "He and Bailey left early this morning to head to Yale. They're moving in there today."

London frowned. "I thought Cody didn't get in?"

Zack just looked at her again. "It was your Dad who made the call to get him in. Remember, he blackmailed your Dad because Seven Seas High sent in the wrong transcript."

"Oh yeah..." London shrugged. "Oh well. With Brain Boy and Farm Girl gone, I guess you'll do."

Zack shook his head. "I'll do for what?"

London grinned. "Daddy just bought a new company and he gave it to me as my present for finally graduating high school! Yay me!"

"Of course he did..." Zack sighed again. "Congrats, London..."

"I was going to hire Cody to be my whipping boy like he used to be on Yay Me!, but I guess that's shot now. So, I figure you'll do..."

Zack smirked at her. "London, you're too kind. But I think I'll pass..."

"Oh fine...I'll actually pay you."

He shook his head. "Again, no thanks..."

London just looked at him. "Really? Tell me...No college, no job, no girlfriend. What else are you going to do?"

Zack just looked at her in surprise. "Ummm...well...I..."

"Be up in my suite in an hour. I'll explain everything to you then."

Zack sighed. "Fine. I'll be there."

_New Haven_

Back at Yale, Cody was just shaking his head and laughing.

"Tapeworm? I knew the name Dennis Wiznewsky was familiar to me, but for the life of me, I didn't put two and two together that it was your real name. How have you been, man?"

Tapeworm smiled back at him. "Doing alright I guess. I guess I kind of figured you would be Harvard or MIT bound though."

Cody kept laughing. "Zack happened. What about you though? What the heck happened to you?"

Tapeworm shrugged. "You remember how Dad was a college professor?"

Cody nodded. "Yeah. In mathematics. Why?"

"Well, he got offered the head of the math department at Alaska-Anchorage, so for the past four years, I've lived in Alaska."

Cody's eyes went wide again. "Wow. I bet that was something. But you're a long ways from home now."

Tapeworm grinned again. "Not really. My senior year, he was offered the same position at UMass up in Amherst. We moved there this summer, so I'm actually really close to home. In fact, this is the closest Ivy League school to where we live now. But, we figured not many people from Alaska would apply to Yale, so they might accept me for diversity's sake. Looks like it worked."

Cody laughed. "Smart thinking."

"What about you? How was Cheevers High?"

"We only went there for a year. After that, Zack and I went to Seven Seas High aboard the S.S. Tipton."

Tapeworm's eyebrows went up. "Let me get this straight. I went to high school in the arctic while you went to high school on a cruise ship?"

Cody grinned. "Pretty much. We got to see the world, and best of all, I met my Bailey."

"Who's Bailey?"

Cody's face lit up. "My girlfriend and the girl of my dreams. She's the most amazing person I've ever met in my whole life. Actually, she should be down here shortly so you can meet her. She lives on the next floor up."

Tapeworm smiled. "Good for you, Cody. I'm glad to hear that. I can't wait to meet her."

And as if on cue, there was a knock at their dorm room door. Cody went over to answer it, and he smiled when he saw it was Bailey.

"Hey...come on in, Bails."

Bailey smiled back and came into the room. And that's when she noticed a taller boy in the room too.

"Bails, I'd like you to meet Dennis Wiznewsky..." He paused. "...better known as Tapeworm."

She turned and looked at Cody in surprise. "You don't mean the same one that you knew in Boston that you've told me all about, do you?"

Cody grinned. "The one and the same. I told you his name sounded really familiar to me. That's why. I guess I got so used to thinking of him as Tapeworm that I forgot what his real name was." He turned to Tapeworm. "And this is Bailey Pickett that I was just telling you about."

Bailey and Tapeworm smiled and shook the other's hand. "Nice to meet you, Tapeworm...or do you prefer Dennis?"

He laughed. "Tapeworm is fine. I haven't been called it in about four years, but I don't mind it at all. And its nice to meet you too. From the way Cody's face lit up when he was talking about you, I can see you are very special to my boy here."

Bailey laughed. "Well, he's just as special to me. So, how did you end up here at Yale?"

He explained to Bailey the same thing he had to Cody about moving to Alaska. "So, while I've been freezing my butt off, looks like you two were sailing the high sees."

Cody spoke up. "Hey, we had cold weather too. And did you ever have herring thrown at you while you froze?"

Tapeworm paused. "Well...no."

"Well, I have..."

Bailey decided to change the subject. "So, do you have a girlfriend back in Alaska or Amherst or anywhere?"

Tapeworm sighed and shook his head. "I'm afraid not." He grinned and laughed. "But if Cody can find someone to willing put up with him, there has to be hope for me, right?"

Bailey laughed. "I would say so. You just have to find the right person who you just click with like Cody and I do..."

Cody nodded. "She's right. I hope you and Zack both find the right ones for you."

Tapeworm just looked at him. "Speaking of Zack though, what's he up to now?"

Cody sighed. "We don't know. On the day we graduated, his girlfriend broke up with him, and he hasn't been the same since. I'm hoping something will light a fire underneath him soon."

"That sucks. What about Max?"

Cody shrugged. "No clue. We lost contact with her about the same time you moved away..."

Tapeworm nodded. "That sucks too...Well, I'm just glad I'll know someone here." He smiled. "Rooming together will be just like math camp all over again."

Cody laughed. "Sure will." He turned to Bailey. "Tapeworm was another one of my fellow math camp survivors."

She smiled at him. "I wish I could have been there with you. Unfortunately, we didn't have things like that around Kettlecorn."

"Well, we're here now." He checked his watch. "And its lunch time. How about we try out our new student IDs and see what the dining hall food is like? After that, we need to drop off our immunization records, stop by the computing center and maybe take a campus tour."

Both Bailey and Tapeworm nodded in agreement. Bailey spoke up too. "And lets take our orientation schedule so we know what we want to attend, what we have to attend and what we'll avoid. I know we have to be back at 8:00 for a freshman registration meeting, but we do have some time to waste. And hopefully by the time we get back, I'll finally get to meet my roommate."

Cody nodded. "Good call. Everyone got their umbrellas?"

Everyone held up their umbrella, and with that, the three of them headed out of the room talking and laughing.

_Boston_

Zack had showered, changed and made his way up to London's penthouse. When he knocked on the door, London opened it and drug him inside. Once inside, he just turned to London.

"Okay, what is this all about?"

London grinned. "Okay, I told you that Daddy bought be my own company?"

Zack nodded. "You mentioned that already. What kind of company?"

"Well, other hotel chains have their lower class of hotels for poor people. Daddy bought a chain that had been struggling, and he wants me to turn it into one of those."

Zack paused. "Kind of how Hampton Inns are more affordable Hilton hotels?"

London nodded. "Yeah. Except, we'll call ours London Inns! And they'll be sparkly!"

He just looked at her again. "And where do I fit into all of this?"

She sighed. "Well, I'm the president of the company, and the headquarters is actually just down the street from here. But I need to surround myself with people I trust..."

"London, I appreciate that...but while I've lived in a hotel, I don't know anything about running one..."

London grinned. "Neither do I, that's why I've hired a Vice President of Operations to do that. You'll be working directly under him."

Zack narrowed his eyes. "And who is this Vice President exactly?"

She was about to answer when there was a knock at her door. She went over to answer it, and standing there was none other than Marion Moseby. He walked in, and at the same time, Moseby and Zack saw each other. Both spoke at the same time.

"What's he doing here?"

_New Haven_

As Bailey, Cody and Tapeworm headed down one staircase, another girl was lugging her things up another one. When she got to her door on the top floor, she dropped all of her bags in a pile and slumped. It certainly didn't help that she was soaking wet due to the rain, and that only made her slightly more miserable and melancholy. The past month of her life had not been very fun at all. Chastising herself for even thinking about that again, she unlocked the door to her dorm room and began dragging all of her things inside. And that's when she noticed it. Her roommate must have already arrived and was out of the room.

The young woman sighed again. She would have preferred the right side of the room, but whoever her roommate was had already staked claim to that side. So, she tossed everything on to her bed before taking the chance to wipe her glasses clean. After she did that, she took the time to look around the other side of the room when something caught her eye. On her roommate's desk, she saw a picture of a brown haired girl in a red dress with her arms wrapped around a blond haired boy in a tuxedo. Her eyes immediately fixated on the young man in the photo.

"Cody?"

_To be Continued..._


	3. Another Storm is Brewing

_Chapter 3_

_"Another Storm is Brewing"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_New Haven_

Barbara Brownstein just closed her eyes and sighed. This was the last thing she was wanting or expecting to happen. After all, it had only been a month ago that her boyfriend of three years, Bob, had broken up with her. He claimed that she was just too competitive and could become physically violent when she got upset, and he was sick of dealing with it. Of course, Barbara had no idea what he was talking about and argued back that he was completely wrong. But Bob held his ground and walked away from her leaving Barbara devastated...and irate. In a quick moment of anger, she had called Harvard and told them she wouldn't be coming after all. And then she called Yale and told them she was planning on matriculating there. She had thought that getting away from Boston and everything that reminded her of it would be therapeutic for her.

But that wasn't going to happen. Barbara looked at the picture again, and suddenly, she realized the girl in the picture looked familiar as well. What was her name? Betty? Haley? Then she remembered – Bailey. She was the girl that Cody said was his new girlfriend but was only pretending to get back at her. But by how close she and Cody were in the picture and how they looked at each other, she didn't think they were acting any longer. Barbara sighed again. Not only was she not going to be away from everything Boston related, she was going to be around her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. In the mood she was right then, she couldn't imagine anything worse.

Barbara paused again though. Would it be so bad? Wasn't Cody the anti-Bob? He never complained about her being competitive. He never said she was physically violent. In fact, he loved to compete with her when they were younger. She stopped to think again, and a smile formed on her face. Maybe this would be just the thing for her to get her over Bob. If Bailey was here at Yale, then there was good chance that Cody was too. Barbara smiled even wider. Maybe this was fate trying to tell her something? Suddenly, she felt like she was thinking clearer than she had in a long time. Bob had never been right for her. Cody was always the better fit for her. This was her chance to get Cody back then.

She looked at the picture of Cody and Bailey again. There would be one small problem though. How was she going to deal with this Bailey girl...especially with them assigned to be roommates?

_Boston_

Moseby and Zack just continued looking at each other in trepidation. London rolled her eyes and whistled to get both of their attention.

"Look...I know you two have had your issues in the past, but I really need you to be able to work together here..."

Moseby spoke up. "London, I don't know about this..."

She glared at him. "Oh, you don't? Here's what I know. Right now, you're unemployed, your fiancee is a teacher, and you're both living with your mother right now..."

Moseby sighed. "Well..." And as he did, Zack began laughing.

London turned her glare to Zack. "What do you have to be laughing about? You're unemployed too and living with your mother. At least Moseby has a girlfriend!"

Zack cringed and stopped laughing.

"Now, here is what else I know. Moseby, no one knows the hotel business better than you do. And I'm offering you the chance to be the big cheese...the head honcho. Tell me...how many other hotel chains are offering you this kind of opportunity?"

Moseby sighed again. "None."

London's expression softened. "Besides, there is no one I trust more than you. I know I can count on you. And don't you want to be able to support your soon to be wife? Don't you want to be able to move out of your mother's house?"

Moseby hung his head. "Fine. I'm in." He paused and looked up again. "But working with Zack again?"

London grinned. "Of course. I need someone around to keep you on your toes. And lets be honest here, Moseby. You're not getting any younger. It won't be long before you move on to that big hotel in the sky. I need you to train Zack for me and have him be ready to take over someday."

Moseby's eyes went wide. "Oh...thanks for that. Besides, while I may be able to teach Zack some things, he has no business or hotel management background or education..."

London kept grinning. "I'm already on top of that. Zack will be working with you during the mornings while taking classes during the afternoon..."

Zack finally broke his silence. "Excuse me? I'll be doing what?"

She turned to him. "Moseby's right, Zack. You will need to take some classes. Besides...I'll be paying you like a full time employee and paying for your classes. Are you really in a position to turn that down?"

Zack sighed. "I guess not..."

London smiled. "Good. I want you to head down to Beacon Street Community College. You have an appointment with an admissions officer in an hour. Get a course catalog and meet with Moseby later to pick out what classes to take."

"But..."

She just glared at him. "GO NOW!"

And with that, Zack's eyes went wide and he ran out of the penthouse as fast as he could. London just laughed while Moseby looked at London strangely.

"London, what's going on here?"

She just grinned. "I love it when a plan comes together!"

_New Haven_

At a little after five that afternoon, Bailey, Cody and Tapeworm all returned to Lanman-Wright, or LW as they were learning it was affectionately referred to as. Tapeworm was heading back to their room to call his parents while Cody and Bailey were going to lock away all of their important papers. Grammy Pickett might use a large can to hold her prized possessions, but she had bought Bailey a lockable strongbox to keep all of her things in. And Bailey had no problems letting Cody put his things in there as well. As they walked up the stairs, they were discussing their day so far.

"So, what to you think so far?"

Bailey smiled. "Well, its certainly different from the boat, but I like it. I mean...our college dining hall is right across the street and the library is catercorner from us. We couldn't have asked for a better location. It'll be nice next year when we're actually in Berkeley so we don't have to go outside to eat, but we're freshman, so we have to pay our dues. How about you?"

Cody smiled back. "I agree. We have a great location, and the food was actually pretty good. I'll miss all the fresh seafood and various cuisines we were exposed to though. I could do without the rain too, but such is life. There is one thing I'm enjoying immensely though..."

"What's that?"

He laughed. "Knowing I don't have to worry about Zack stealing my student ID card again."

She just shook her head. "Well, we better hurry, the dining hall closes at seven. Lets drop off our things and head down to grab Tapeworm."

Bailey unlocked her door, but immediately, she noticed that the other half of her room was now decorated. "Looks like my roommate finally showed up..."

Cody nodded. "Looks that way. You want to wait a few minutes to meet her before heading back out?"

Before Bailey could say anything, both heard a voice behind them. "No need to wait, Cody...she's already here."

Both turned around, and both of their eyes went wide in surprise.

"Barbara?"

Barbara smiled. "You seem surprised to see me, Cody..."

He just shook his head in shock. "You could say that. You're the last person I expected to see here. I guess I figured you were Harvard bound."

"Well, I was, but this summer, I decided Yale was a better fit for me. Though, I could say the same for you..."

"Oh..." Cody shrugged. "Zack happened. There was an incident with the daughter of Harvard's president..."

Barbara laughed. "I see he hasn't changed a bit..."

"Actually, he has. Zack's grown up a lot the past three years. He still has some ways to go, but I have confidence that he'll get there."

Bailey was still quiet though. The thought of her roommate being Cody's ex-girlfriend was not sitting well with her at all. She knew this was only the second time she had met Barbara, but she did know Barbara had cheated on Cody the night he had left for the boat. And there was something else. Something in Bailey's gut was telling her to keep her eyes open and be on high alert around this young woman. But she was broken out of her thoughts when she heard something Barbara said.

"I noticed the picture of you two at what looks like your prom. I'm assuming you two are more than just friends now."

Bailey turned to see Cody smile brightly. "Yeah, we are. Bailey is the girl of my dreams. We're in love, and we're planning on a long life together."

That caused Bailey to finally speak up. "Cody's right. He's my feller, and I love him to death. In fact, we're both here going pre-med and thinking about starting our own clinic together someday."

Barbara plastered the best fake smile she could on her face. "Isn't that nice..."

Cody spoke up again. "Speaking of which, how is Bob? It just dawned on me that the last time I saw either of you was when you were on the boat three years ago."

Barbara paused. "Bob? Oh, he's working in his uncle's insurance agency with his sister."

Cody laughed. "Insurance. Should have saw that one coming." He paused. "And his sister...the poor girl..."

Bailey turned to him. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, Bob and his sister are twins too. Unfortunately for her, picture Bob with longer hair and in a dress..."

Bailey just gave him a look of utter disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"Afraid so." He turned back to Barbara. "Well, I'm glad things are still going well for you and Bob."

Barbara paused again to think. It would be easier on her if they thought she and Bob were still together. "Yeah...Couldn't be better."

Cody checked his watch. "Well, we need to get moving if we're going to hit the dining hall. Barbara, you're more than willing to join us if you want."

She smiled. "I'd like that. Can you give me a few minutes to finish getting my stuff organized."

"Sure. Tell you what, we have to go get my roommate too. I'm not sure if you remember Tapeworm, but that's my roommate. Come on down to my room when you're done and we'll head out."

Barbara agreed, and Cody and Bailey headed out of the room. Barbara just grinned to herself. "This is going to be too easy. Cody is just like I remember him, and the farm girl doesn't stand a chance against me..."

Cody and Bailey had left the room and made it to the stairwell when Bailey stopped him.

"Cody...is it just me or is this a little weird me having Barbara as a roommate?"

Cody looked at her. "You think its weird?"

"Well, yeah...I mean she is your ex-girlfriend after all. And she did cheat on you..."

He smiled at her. "Bails...To me, that was a whole different lifetime ago that I dated her. A lot has happened to me since then...most notably meeting you. Ever since I first met you, you've had my full attention and focus. The only time I've thought of her since I left for the boat is trying to figure out how to break up with her so I could be with you. When she and Bob left, we agreed to be friends. That's all she'll ever be to me."

"Really?"

"Really. Bails, once I met you, no other woman had a chance with me. Like I've said...you are the girl of my dreams. Trust me when I say there is no comparison between the two of you. Once I met you, I just looked back and wondered what I was thinking when I dated her. The best I can come up with is that I had no idea you were out there yet, and I settled. That's a mistake I'm happy I'll never make again."

Bailey smiled at him. "I know what you mean. I was the same way with Moose. After having you in my life, I wondered what I had been thinking too. I think I had settled not knowing you were out there waiting for me. But now, I have you right here with me."

"And I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon...until we graduate and decide on grad school. And then, I'm going to make sure I get into the same place you do from the very beginning..."

She giggled. "Me too."

"And I wouldn't worry about Barbara if I were you. It took you a while to adjust to living with London, it will here too. It'll take me time to get used to living with Tapeworm as compared to Zack and Woody. And if you ever need time away from her, you know you are always welcome in my room." He grinned. "You and Tapeworm already get along, so I'm sure he won't mind at all. Plus, with him living so close, he might be going home fairly often..."

Bailey grinned back at him. "Thanks, Sweetie. I appreciate you saying that."

"One bit of advice though. Don't get too competitive with her. She's can be uber competitive and not be a very gracious loser..."

"Really?" Bailey paused. "What if she decides she wants to compete with me over you?"

Cody smiled again. "I seriously doubt that. She has Bob. But even if she got a crazy idea like that in her head, she would be waging a losing battle. Bails, my heart belongs to you and always will. You are the girl of my dreams and the woman I love."

Bailey smiled. "Thanks, Sweetie. How about you? You sure you don't have any lasting bitterness over her cheating on you?"

Cody smiled at her yet again. "I got you, didn't I? I definitely got the best part of that deal. I got the woman I love and can't live without. So, definitely no bitterness here. Actually, I should be grateful to her..."

Bailey laughed. "Maybe you're right. I bet everything will be just fine. I'm sure I was just letting my imagination get the best of me." She paused. "I also guess I'm just very protective of you and of us. I lost you once, and I vowed to never let that happen again."

Cody pulled her in for a hug. "It won't happen again. Bails, you and I are a team. Anyone who messes with us will be in for a rude awakening."

_Boston_

Moseby just looked at London in confusion. "London...what are you talking about?"

She just kept grinning. "Moseby, I'm a lot more aware than I let on. And I know who the people are that actually care about me, and I care about them too. Who do you think let it slip to Bailey at the beginning of the summer that Daddy and Mr. St. Mark were in a bidding war? And who do you think let it slip that the seller was big in to business ethics?"

Moseby just looked at her in astonishment. "But how did you know that Seven Seas High had screwed up?"

"Easy. I overheard Zack talking to Esteban. I knew Bailey would put two and two together."

He just shook his head. "But...but...but..."

She laughed. "Once I got Brain Boy and Farm Girl settled, I turned my attention to Zack."

"So, your plan was to give him a job and into school?"

She just grinned. "Well, that was the first part of my plan. The rest will come later..."

Moseby just looked at her. "I guess deviousness is in the Tipton genes..."

London began clapping. "I know...But you should be used to that. But the good news for you is that this Tipton will actually remember who you are!"

He smiled. "I know."

"One more thing though. No more shorts and knee socks! We're running a professional business here!"

_New Haven_

Cody and Bailey headed on to Cody's room where Tapeworm was waiting on them. A few minutes later, Barbara joined them, and everyone headed across the street to Berkeley's dining room. They took their time eating and then milling about Berkeley college getting the lay of the land and meeting other new students. The next item on their schedules was their freshman registration meeting which would be held in the dining hall they just had dinner in.

While the meeting was informative, the item that really caught their attentions was that most activities for Sunday were canceled in anticipation of Hurricane Irene. Bailey looked to Cody in alarm, but he just smiled and told her that it even if it did hit, it wouldn't be that bad. She wasn't quite sure, but she believed in him. After that meeting was over and they had revised schedules, they headed back over to LW for meetings with their freshman counselors. The freshman counselor had the role of helping the twelve or so students assigned to them get acclimated to college. And fortunately for Cody and Bailey, they were assigned to the same one.

One of the first issues they talked to her about was the schedules they had come up with. At first, she had initial concerns that they might be biting off more than they could chew, but they convinced her that they could handle it. And explaining to her that they had gone to school on a cruise ship in a college like setting helped ease her fears about them getting homesick. Their counselor accepted that, and seeing their transcripts and scores helped seal the deal with her that they could indeed handle it.

After that meeting finished, it was raining again, so the Berkeley freshmen in LW just hung out in the basement of the building and got to know each other. Of course, Cody and Bailey stuck together to let everyone know that they were a couple and a team. Since they had an early morning, they did turn in shortly after midnight. And like he had done so many times on the boat, Cody walked Bailey back up to her door to say goodnight.

He smiled. "Our first day at college is officially over..."

She smiled back. "Yeah, it is. And we made it through..." She paused. "Are you sure about the hurricane, Cody?"

"I'm sure, Bails. We've been through worse together. And that's the important thing – we're together."

She smiled again. "Your right..." She leaned in and kissed him. "Goodnight, Cody...I love you."

He grinned. "Goodnight, Sweetie...I love you squared."

Bailey kissed him again before slipping back into her room. And as she did, Cody headed towards the stairwell. Stepping out of a shadow, Barbara was seething. She had not liked the scene she had just witnessed at all. It looked like the farm girl had a tighter grip on Cody than she had initially thought.

Saturday morning was shaping up to be a long and early one. After breakfast at 7:30, they made their way to Woolsey Hall for their Freshman Assembly. Immediately after it was over, it was time to go take their foreign language placement exams. While Cody and Bailey were both fluent in numerous languages, that wasn't going to get them out of having to take at least one foreign language class at Yale. But, if they did well enough, they would only have to take just one. So, they decided to take the French and Spanish ones, and the Spanish placement exam was right after the Freshman Assembly. Once it was over at 12:30, both felt they had aced it and had some free time then. They grabbed some lunch, verified that their scholarships had been paid with the financial office and made it just on time for their Public Safety Meeting at 2:00. And once it was over, they were on the move again to their French placement exam. Two hours later, at 5:00, they had finished it and again felt they had aced it. And by then, they were ready for the break dinner would bring them. Unfortunately, their days weren't over yet as they had a Navigating Your First Days meeting at 7:00 followed by another Freshman Counselor meeting back at LW at 8:30. By the time it was over, both Cody and Bailey were exhausted, but in a good way. Once again, they hung out with their fellow Berkeley members before calling it a night just after midnight with a repeat of how they said goodnight to each other.

On Sunday morning, they slept in some since brunch wasn't served until 10:00 AM. Once it was done, they had more free time as everything else for the day had been canceled. So, Bailey was hanging out in Cody's room watching TV, and both were happy to be just taking it easy. About two that afternoon, an announcement was made throughout the dorm that students should move down to the basement as a safety precaution. Before they left the room, the looked outside, and everyone was shocked to see how hard the wind was blowing and how hard it was raining. Inwardly, Bailey began freaking out while Cody remained calm. He grabbed his backpack he had packed in preparation, and everyone headed down to the basement. Finding a corner they could huddle up in, they sat down to begin waiting out the storm.

Cody decided they needed to do something to get their minds off of the hurricane, so he pulled out the deck of cards he had packed. So, he, Bailey, Barbara and Tapeworm began playing cards. But it wasn't long before Cody could tell Bailey was distracted.

"Bails?"

She looked up at him. "Huh?"

He smiled at her. "Its your turn."

"Ohh...ummm...do you have any sixes?"

"Sweetie, we're playing gin rummy, not go fish..."

"Ohh..." She looked at her cards again before laying them all down. "Gin..."

Cody and Tapeworm laughed, but Barbara scowled at Bailey. Not wanting to lose her cool in front of them, she got up giving an excuse about going to the bathroom. As she walked away, Tapeworm stood up too.

"I'm going to go give my family a call and let them know I'm alright."

After he walked away, Cody turned back to Bailey. "Bails...are you alright?"

She sighed. "I don't think so. I'm kind of freaking out..."

_Boston_

Zack was sitting on the couch just taking it easy and watching some television. In the past couple of days, his directionless life suddenly had a focus. And while he would have liked to have had a bigger say in things, he had to admit to himself that he was actually happy that he did have something to look forward to now. And he wasn't the only one happy. Carey had been watching him, and she smiled as she sat down next to him.

"Zack, I'm so proud of you. You have a job you start tomorrow, and on Wednesday, both of my baby boys will be starting college."

Zack rolled his eyes. "Just a few classes, Mom."

"I know, but its a start. I was getting worried about you. I'm grateful to London for doing all of this..."

He nodded. "So am I..."

Carey paused. "Now, I hope I don't have to warn you that as Moseby's assistant, you actually have to show him respect. He's your boss. No more playing pranks on him."

"I know, I know..."

"I hope so. You've been given a great opportunity. I just want you to embrace it."

Zack rolled his eyes again. "I am...Besides, shouldn't you be more worried about Cody now? He is the one in the path of a hurricane..."

Carey's eyes went open, and she immediately changed the television to The Weather Channel. And that's when she saw Hurricane Irene was on top of New Haven.

"My Baby Boy!"

"Easy, Mom...Cody and Bailey have survived a tornado. I'm sure they'll be fine."

She paused. "Still..." She pulled out her cell phone. "I'll feel a lot better hearing their voices myself to know they're alright..."

_New Haven_

Cody patted the spot next to him, and Bailey scooted over next to him. He wrapped his arm around her tightly and leaned down to kiss her on the top of her head.

"Everything will be okay. Usually by the time hurricanes get to New England, they've weakened considerably and have been downgraded to tropical storms. Besides, campus is not that close to the shore at all..."

Bailey looked up at him, shook her head and let out a little laugh. "Its kind of funny. You were the one freaking out during the tornado while I was calm, and now, we've switched..."

Cody smiled at her. "Well, that was my first tornado, and to be honest, nothing was working out for me the way I was hoping it would..."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you remember when I called you?"

Bailey nodded. "Yeah. London and I had just gotten freaked out by a scarecrow. I screamed that I needed you."

"Well, right before I called you, Kevin Love, Dwight Howard and Deron Williams had just gotten done convincing me not to be stupid any more and to call you to tell you how I really felt about you. When I heard you were in trouble, I dropped everything to get to Kettlecorn to make sure you were alright. I had to make sure you were okay and to tell you that I was still in love with you."

She smiled at him. "Really?"

"Really. Of course, as soon as I got there, everything began going wrong. From the beginning, your Dad hated me, you weren't happy to see me there, and then Moose showed up..."

"I guess I was still upset with you because of that play..."

Cody sighed. "Something that ranks right up there on the list of stupidest things I have ever done. I never should have listened to Mr. Blanket..."

That took Bailey by surprise. "You actually talked to Mr. Blanket?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I did. It was right after the chocolate factory. I was really upset, and Zack and Woody practically forced me to go see him. Unfortunately, that was about the same time Tut had made it clear to him to leave her alone for good. He was upset, and he encouraged me to show how angry I was too. And that's when Tut gave the play assignment. Well, it gave me a venue to vent all of my anger and frustrations. I should have deleted it once I got it out of my system. I'm truly sorry about that..."

Bailey paused. "I am too. Cody, we made a total mess of things, didn't we? I could only see my anger and hurt...I never considered how you felt. If we had just stopped to actually talk to each other..."

"I know. But in a way, we learned a lot from everything. We know now what we should and shouldn't do..."

"You're right. We'll never make that mistake again. Go back to your story though..."

Cody nodded. "Well, I kept trying to tell you how I really felt, but I could never get you alone or get the right moment to do so. And when I finally did, that's when the tornado hit. I began freaking out due to it and the fact that nothing I was doing was working the way I wanted it to. And then that's when my real fear kicked in..."

"That you would die in the tornado?"

He shook his head. "No. The fear that I was really going to lose you. Moose wanted you back too, and I know that compared to him, I don't match up very favorably..."

Bailey smiled at him. "You couldn't be more wrong about that. You two aren't alike at all. But as far as matching up, you win every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Cody, you are and always will be my perfect guy. I was still being stubborn, but when I was knocked out, I had a dream that finally knocked sense back into me. I realized I had to listen to what my heart told me and to ignore what my pride and anger said. And Cody, my heart has always belonged to you. I guess we both needed to have that sense knocked back into us."

Cody smiled back at her. "Yeah, I guess we did. Once you told me you never stopped loving me, I felt like I could have done anything..."

"Same here. I just wish we hadn't had to be around everyone else when we finally told each other that..." She sighed. "Doing that around everyone else lead to an awkward situation. With us being stuck down in the shelter, I had to tell Moose he was a nice guy so he wouldn't feel too bad. I couldn't really tell him right then and there that he was an overbearing, controlling misogynist who I had absolutely nothing in common with. I just wish back then I knew you were out there waiting for me."

He pulled her in closer. "Well, I'm here right now. And we're going to get through this hurricane with ease because we have each other..."

She smiled again. "Yeah, we do." She paused. "Cody, it really told me a lot that you dropped everything to come to Kettlecorn to make sure I was alright."

"Because I love you."

"I love you too."

He leaned in and kissed her. "And with that, there is nothing a little hurricane can do to us. I mean, we've already survived ghosts – both good and bad, spies, renegade hall monitors, you having two spirits inside of your body and mine leaving mine, and I'm pretty sure something weird happened while we were in the Bermuda Triangle..."

Bailey smiled. "True...And this isn't our first bad storm either. Besides the tornado, there was that bad storm that hit while we crossed the international dateline."

Cody groaned. "I couldn't forget that if I tried. That was the...longest day of my life..."

She looked up at him. "Why was that?"

He paused. "Well, that was the day and the dance I had finally built up the courage to finally tell you that I wanted to be more than just your friend. But once again, everything kept going wrong for me, and I didn't get a chance to..."

She smiled again. "That's so sweet." She paused. "Did I ever tell you when I knew you were the feller for me?"

"When was that?"

"When you put on that mulch festival for me when you saw I was feeling homesick. I got to see firsthand the real differences between you and Moose. You did all of that for me and showed me how much you cared. You told me to follow my heart and didn't try to tell me what to do. And when you hugged me, I finally heard what my heart was saying loud and clear. It was telling me that I had fallen for you. There was no way I was going to leave the boat. I would have missed all of my new friends, but I would have really missed you. I felt so warm and safe and loved in your arms."

He pulled her in even closer to him. "Well, you'll never have to miss me again..." He grinned. "You're never getting rid of me ever again. And these arms are here for you when ever you want them."

Bailey sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "Sounds perfect to me. So, that ol' hurricane can do its best. We have each other, and there's nothing it or anyone can do to change that..."

"You got that right..." Cody was about to say something else when he felt his cell phone begin to vibrate. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw it was his Mom calling. "I guess Mom is calling to check up on us..."

Bailey grinned and took his phone from him. She answered. "Carey, its me, Bailey. Don't worry. We're fine. We're in the basement of the dorm safe and secure, and I promise to take good care of your baby boy for you..."

Cody just looked at her and groaned.

__To be Continued...__

**AN: Just a forewarning, it might be next weekend before I get Episode 4 up.**


	4. Something is Rotten in the State of Conn

_Chapter__4_

_"Something is Rotten in the State of Connecticut"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_New Haven_

Sunday afternoon continued on, and by dinner time, everyone huddled in the basement of LW was told that if they felt like crossing the street and braving the elements, the dining room in Berkeley was open and serving food. Bailey, Cody, Tapeworm and Barbara all got their raincoats and braved the weather to make sure they had some food that day. And once they ate, they even brought snacks back with them for later. As Sunday night continued, everyone stayed down in the basement playing board games or watching TV on the dorm's big screen. By the time everyone headed to bed, Irene had pretty much moved through the area, and Monday would be business as usual.

On Monday morning, the sun was shining, and everyone had a busy day ahead of them. After breakfast in the Commons, Cody and Bailey had to attend a meeting for those students planning on taking courses in chemistry and/or physics. As they were planning on both, they attended. Based on their scores and transcripts, they were going to be placed in PHYS 200 and its lab, PHYS 205L. Both grinned as that was just how they had planned it. As for chemistry, there was a placement exam from 10:30 to 1:00 PM. They took it, and qualified for CHEM 118 and its lab, CHEM 119L. Again, that was just the way they planned that too.

After lunch at the Commons again, they had some free time until they had to be at a speech about things they wished they would have known their first weeks at Yale. Once it was over, there was a reception and dinner back at Berkeley Residential College. After that was another meeting with their freshmen counselor before an evening of social activities.

"Look, Cody...there having a doubles dart and ping pong tournaments! We should team up!"

Cody grinned at Bailey. "Alright, but don't complain later that your back hurts from carrying me..."

She just looked at him. "Like I would ever do that?"

He just raised his eyebrows. "Oh really? Must have been someone else who taunted me after blocking my shot that one time..." He paused. "...though, I was the only one who didn't get blocked by the NBA players..."

Bailey just smiled at him. "Okay, we know in the past we tend to get a little competitive, but we'll be on the same team this time. And I promise you we're just doing this for fun."

"You promise?"

"I promise..." She leaned in and gave him a deep kiss. "So, what do you say?"

Cody just had a goofy grin on his face. "Well...I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything."

She grinned. "Thank you, Cody! It'll be fun, I promise. And we can also sign up for the inter-mural sports against the other residential colleges."

Cody paused. "Well, I would like to finally see you out on the diamond playing softball. I really do want to see how good you really are." He smiled. "And I can be there to be your very own personal cheerleader."

Bailey kept grinning. "And I can finally get to see you out on the ice playing hockey. I know you told me you wanted to be a hockey player when you were younger. I'll be your very own personal cheerleader then."

"I don't know about all of that. Its been four years since I've even skated. I'd probably end up falling on my butt or worse."

"I believe in you, Cody. Besides, we did talk about me buy rollerblades and you teaching me how."

Cody couldn't help by smile. "We did, didn't we?"

"Yes, we did."

He sighed but kept smiling. "You know I can't say no to you. Since we're at Yale, we'll give it the old college try..."

Bailey squealed and hugged him. "Thank you, Cody. You go upstairs and get King Pong, and I'll go get the paddle you bought me, Donkey Pong. I'll get my darts set you bought me too. We'll share those."

Both headed up to their rooms to get their things. Cody got back down to the basement first, and as he waited for Bailey to return, Barbara saw him and walked up to him.

"I see you have your old ping pong paddle out. You going to play in the tournament they're putting on?" She laughed. "Maybe you and I could team up and show these people how Boston rolls?"

Cody laughed. "I would, but I'm only playing because Bailey talked me into playing with her. But there are a lot of other people around. Maybe you could find yourself another partner?"

Barbara plastered a fake smile on her face. "Maybe I will. Good luck then. Remember, I used to beat you all the time."

He let out a nervous laugh. After Barbara walked away, Cody just shook his head. He didn't dare tell her that he started letting her win because he was tired of getting his foot stomped every time he beat her. But he didn't have much time to think about that as Bailey soon arrived back to join him.

She grinned at him. "You ready to show 'em that we're the best team around?"

Cody grinned back at her. "Lets do it!"

And for their first few matches, they won fairly easily. It really wasn't fair as Bailey was easily the best player at the table every match. In fact, they were so good, they easily made it to the finals of the little tournament. And naturally, the team they were playing in the finals had Barbara on it.

Barbara grinned at Bailey. "Battle of the roommates. This should be epic!"

And the match was a competitive one. Barbara quickly learned not to hit it towards Bailey and focused instead on hitting everything Cody's way. But even she was surprised to see he wasn't as bad as she remembered. He was actually hitting his fair share of winners off of those shots. And every time he did, Barbara had to watch as Bailey gave him a kiss. Finally, it got down to match point for Cody and Bailey. Once again, Barbara hit it at Cody, but he returned it and the ball hit the edge of the side of the table. Barbara's roommate had to dive just to get a paddle on it, but all he could do was end up popping it up.

"Smash it, Bails!"

And that's exactly what Bailey did. She smashed an ace that actually hit Barbara in the forehead and left a welt. Cody and Bailey celebrated with a hug until they saw Barbara was actually injured on the play. But, she held her tongue and her temper and gritted out a 'good game' to them both. Of course, Cody and Bailey happily accepted the prize which was two free passes to a local movie theater.

The dart tournament soon followed, and once again, Cody and Bailey were doing well. With standard cricket rules with points format, they were winning big. And once again, the final match came down to Cody and Bailey verses Barbara and her partner. That turned out to be an epic contest as well as Barbara's partner was almost as good as Bailey was. In the end, it came down to Cody and Bailey being down twenty-four points. Both sides had everything closed but the bulls eyes, and each team already had two of them. It was Cody's turn, and his first two darts had missed. Bailey pulled him to the side before his final throw.

"Sweetie, if you hit a double bull, we win." She smiled. "I want you to picture a mole where the bulls eye is." She kissed his cheek. "But even if we don't win, I've had so much fun just spending time with you like this."

He smiled back at her. "So have I. Its a lot more fun competing with you then against you."

"Same here. Now, give it your best shot."

Cody took his place, and focused on his throw. In slow motion, he pulled the dart back before letting it fly. And when it stuck in the board, everyone looked on to see it firmly embedded in the red of the double bulls eye. Immediately, Bailey began jumping around and hugging Cody.

"You did it!"

Cody was still looking at the board in amazement. "Yeah...I did."

Barbara's teammate just shook his head. He turned to Bailey. "Good game again." He smiled. "If you ever want to team up, I think we'd kill everyone."

Bailey just shook her head. "No thanks. Cody and I are a team in more than just darts and ping poing. We're a team in everything."

By this time, Barbara's anger was boiling, and she was seething. Cody turned to her to offer a 'good game', but she just glared at him and stomped his foot before storming off. Immediately, he began holding his foot and jumping around. And Bailey immediately went over to help him. Once Cody's foot stopped throbbing, she helped him sit down.

"Okay, what was that all about?"

Cody sighed. "Remember how I told you Barbara could be kind of a sore loser?"

Bailey nodded. "Yeah..." She paused and then she had a light bulb moment. "Wait a minute! She's done that do you before!"

He nodded. "Yeah. Whenever I would do better than her at something, the foot stomp was the usual result..."

She grabbed his hands. "Cody...You never told me she was physically abusive to you."

"Its no big deal. Its all in the past now..."

Bailey just gave him a look. "If her teammate had stomped my foot, would it be no big deal?"

Cody frowned. "Of course not! He would have to deal with me!"

She gave him a small smile. "Because you want to take care of me. I'm the same way with you. So, her doing that is a very big deal to me."

He sighed again. "And I appreciate that, but I don't want to cause problems between the two of you. You two have to live together for now. Besides, her anger management issues aren't my concern now. They're Bob's..."

Bailey paused to think. "Alright. I'll let it slide this time. But...if it happens again or she does something else like this again, all bets are off."

He smiled and kissed her cheek. "Thank you. And that's why I'm so happy I have you, Bails. I don't have to worry about things like that with you. Back then, I didn't know any better, and I was kind of awkward around girls."

She smiled back at him. "You aren't now."

"I'm not now because of you. You give me the self confidence that its okay to be me. I'm completely comfortable and at ease with you."

"Cody, I love you for who you are. And you give me self confidence too. I can just be me, and I know you love who that is."

He grinned. "I sure do. Looks like Tapeworm is engrossed over at the video game console. How about we head up to my room and just take it easy and watch some TV while I ice my foot?"

She grinned back. "Sounds good to me."

Tuesday morning brought with it Breakfast again before they had meetings with the English, Biology and Economic departments about exemptions and future placement based on their test scores. With economics, their AP scores would let them skip introductory microeconomics and macroeconomics courses. With Biology, their AP scores would let the skip some introductory courses as well. And with English, they gained a better idea of what classes they could take later to satisfy those requirements. At 11:00 AM, they had a meeting with the freshman faculty advisers. They were advised again not to bite off more than they could chew, but Cody and Bailey weren't worried about that. Most of their Chemistry, Physics and Math classes would cover things they already knew.

After lunch in Berkeley, they headed off to a Premedical Advising Panel at one that afternoon. After it was done, they headed back to their rooms to take the online placement examination for mathematics. Both aced it, printed out their scores and headed off to the mathematics advising session. And with both of their scores, they were both cleared to take MATH 120.

That afternoon, they attended and academic fair and got to talk to representatives from other academic departments. But they were back in their rooms by 4:30 for online preregistration for their MATH 120 class, and both high-fived each other when both got in the exact section they wanted. And it seemed like they would have Tapeworm in their math class too as he needed it for his major of computer science and mathematics. For every other class, Cody and Bailey would just show up to the classes. After two weeks in classes, they would submit their final schedule for approval.

Bailey grinned. "Just think...tomorrow we take our first college classes!"

_Boston_

Zack returned from his second day of work exhausted. Even though he didn't have to be at work until eight thirty in the morning, that was still way too early for him. And unlike in the past, he didn't have Cody around to serve as a human alarm clock. To make matters worse, his Mom wasn't showing him much sympathy either. Carey had just shrugged and told him he needed to start going to bed earlier. And as much as Zack abhorred that idea, he grudgingly admitted that she was probably right.

Sighing to himself, he realized tomorrow would be better...he hoped. For the first two days, Moseby had given him a mountain of binders he needed him to read and familiarize himself with. And heaven help him, Zack really tried. But they were just so boring! He even caught himself shuddering when he let the thought enter his mind that maybe those classes might help him understand them. Of course, he also shuddered when he realized that he was looking at his first classes in his whole life where he didn't have his brother there to pick up the slack for him.

Zack just shook his head and walked back into the suite on the 23rd floor. And to his surprise, it was dark and empty. Flipping on the lights, he saw a note and some money sitting on the table. Picking it up, he saw it was from his Mom and that she had left early for her rehearsal. The money was for him to go out and get him something to eat. He shrugged. It was times like this that he missed all the food options on the boat...and having Cody around to cook for him.

After changing clothes, Zack walked down the street to a pizza place to get him a couple of slices. And as he sat there eating, he was surprised when he saw a red headed guy sit down across from him.

"Zack! Long time, no see!"

Zack smiled seeing his old friend. "Bob! It has been a long time. What are you up to nowadays?"

Bob sighed. "Working. I'm working in my uncle's insurance office, its about to kill me..."

Inwardly, Zack laughed. Insurance. He should have saw that one coming. "I know what you mean though. I'm working for London now, and Mr. Moseby is my boss. AND I'm starting a few classes at community college tomorrow."

Bob shook his head. "Things were so much easier when we were younger..."

Zack sighed. "You're telling me. I'll probably go to bed tonight about eleven o'clock for the first time in forever. I'm exhausted."

"I did that last night. Seven o'clock in the morning still comes too early no matter when you go to bed."

"Great..."

"By the way, what's Cody up to nowadays? I hadn't seen or heard about you guys in almost three years..."

Zack looked at him kind of funny. "You mean you don't know?"

Bob looked back him just as funny. "Why would I know?"

"Because Cody and his girlfriend Bailey are both at Yale right now..."

Bob paused. "That girl he said was his girlfriend on the boat?"

"Uh huh...Well, they are a real couple now, and Bailey is otherwise known as Barbara's roommate!"

He paused. "Oh...I didn't even know Barbara was at Yale. I haven't spoken to her since earlier this summer when I broke up with her..." He shrugged. "I just got tired of it all, Zack..."

Zack frowned. "But she told them that you two were never happier..."

Bob laughed. "Well, I don't know why she did. I know I've never been happier since I broke up with her though. I'm actually seeing a girl who doesn't stomp my foot..."

Zack paused. Something was not adding up here. "Bob, I think I need to give the Codester a call." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed.

_New Haven_

Cody was sitting back on his bed clutching his cell phone in his hand. He had just gotten off the phone with his brother and his friend, Bob. And to say it had been enlightening would be an understatement. But right then, he was more confused than ever. Why had Barbara been lying to them all weekend? He just couldn't understand why. Fortunately, there was a knock at his door to distract him. Getting up to answer it, he found Bailey standing there smiling at him.

"Hey Cody, I was thinking..." She paused when she the expression on his face. "Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Bails, I think you should come in. I just got an interesting phone call."

They sat down on Cody's bed, and he explained the entire phone call he had gotten from Zack and Bob. And by the time he was time, Bailey was as stupefied as Cody was.

"Cody...this makes no sense whatsoever. Why would she lie about something like this?"

Cody just shook his head. "I have no idea, Bails. According to Bob, they broke up in June. In fact, from the way he talked, it was the same weekend we were at the mathlympics..."

Bailey paused. "Now that I think about it, it does make some sense."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, look around, Cody. I only live one floor above you and you see me everyday. Yet, you still have pictures of me and of us together all over the place."

"Because I like having your face be the first thing I see when I wake up. I like being able to see your beautiful face even when you aren't around."

She smiled at him. "I'm the same way, Cody. I have pictures of you up all over my half of my room too. That's why this makes so much sense to me now."

"I still have no idea what you're talking about, Bails."

"Barbara never did. She doesn't have a single picture of Bob or of them together anywhere in the room..."

That caused Cody to stop and thing. "Really?"

"Really..." She paused. "Did Bob mention why they broke up?"

Cody nodded and sighed. "Yeah. He got fed up with her being over competitive and the foot stomps..."

Bailey let that sink in. "Cody, I think she has a real problem with anger management..."

"I think you're right." He paused. "And I think its all my fault..."

She just looked at him in concern. "Your fault? How in the feathers would this be your fault?"

"Because I could have said something to her way back then, and I took the coward's way out and did nothing. By not saying anything, I essentially encourage her behavior."

Bailey shook her head violently. "No, you didn't! Cody, you were...what...fourteen? How were you supposed to know she would still act this way? Do you act the same way now that you did then?"

"Well...no...but..."

"But nothing! You don't and neither do I. You know why? Because we grew up! Cody, you hadn't seen her for over three years. How were you supposed to know she hadn't either?"

He sighed. "Because I could have kept in contact with them. I could have been there for Bob to confide in when things got bad for him. He and I could have sat her down and explained how hurtful her behavior was. I could have..."

She cut him off again. "Cody, that wasn't your responsibility to do so. You weren't their keeper. This is all on Barbara. You had your own life to worry about. It wasn't up to you to worry about them..."

He hung his head. "I know..." He sighed again. "Bails...what do I do now?"

She smiled at him. "Don't you mean...what do WE do now?"

Cody couldn't help but smile. "Yeah. What do we do?"

"I say we go confront her right now. We let her know her behavior will no longer be tolerated. I let it slide once because you asked me. But lying to us and hurting you is where I draw the line..."

He nodded. "You're right." He squeezed her hand. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Sweetie."

Both got up from Cody's bed and headed up to Bailey and Barbara's room. When they got there, Barbara was just on her way out of the room. When she saw the expressions on their faces, she paused.

"Hey guys...what's up?"

Bailey closed the door behind them. "Barbara...we need to speak with you."

__To ____be ____Continued...__


	5. Hard Truths

_Episode5_

_"Hard Truths"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

Barbara just looked back and forth between Cody and Bailey. She had no idea what was going on, but by the stern expressions on their faces, she had a pretty good idea that she wasn't going to like it.

"Ummm...Sure." Barbara took a seat on her bed as Cody and Bailey sat side by side on hers.

"What do you guys want to talk about?"

Cody sighed again and began. "I just had a very interesting phone call from Zack. Seems he went out to get him some dinner tonight while Mom was at rehearsal."

Barbara just looked at him. "So?"

"Guess who he happened to run into while he was out?"

Barbara was confused. "I have no idea nor do I have any idea what it would have to do with me."

Cody just stared at her. "Does the name 'Bob' ring a bell...or have you tried to forget all about him since he broke up with you?"

That silenced Barbara. Bob. Of course. The one flaw in her little plan had reared its ugly little head. But, she was still in no mood to discuss him or their relationship with anyone. She stood up.

"If this is what you wanted to talk about, I have better things to do. Classes start tomorrow after all..."

But Cody kept his same demeanor though. "Why did you lie to us? Why did you tell us that you and Bob had never been happier when that was the furthest thing from the truth?"

Barbara sat back down and sighed. "Does it matter?"

"Yeah...it does. Barbara, you and I agreed to be friends. Well, I'm trying to be a friend here." He paused. "Bob told me he broke up with you because of you being too competitive and your...well..."

Bailey finished it for him. "Physical abuse..."

Barbara just glared at her. "I never physically abused him! I treated him the same way I treated Cody! And I never physically abused you, did I, Cody?"

He swallowed. "Barbara...yes, you did."

She turned her glare towards Cody. "What are you talking about? I never..."

Cody sighed. "Do you remember when we graduated from middle school?"

She paused to think. "Yeah..."

"You stomped my foot three different times that day. Instead of you being happy for me that I was valedictorian, you got mad and took it out on me."

"Because it had been my dream too! I was upset that I didn't get it!"

Cody ran his hand through his hair. "But why did you feel the need to hit me because of it?"

Barbara just looked at him again. "I...I..."

"In high school, Bailey and I were co-valedictorians. If she had gotten it and I hadn't, I would have been disappointed, but I would have been extremely proud of her. I knew she had worked hard and would have completely deserved it. I would never have taken my disappointment out on her..."

Bailey spoke up again. "And I would have been the same way. No one would have been prouder of Cody than I would have been. Let me tell you a story. Our junior year, I was in a beauty pageant on the ship. And beforehand, Cody tried to help me, but our differing ideas lead to us getting into a fight over it. In the end, he said he wouldn't be there to watch it. But when the time came, I looked out in the audience and saw him there to support me. Seeing that he was really there gave me the confidence I needed. And no one was a bigger cheerleader for me to win it than he was. While I did win, I had already won because he was there to support me despite our stupid argument."

Barbara sighed. "And what's your point?"

"My point is that even the most loving of relationships aren't always easy. You can't take them for granted or let the small things get in the way of them."

Cody nodded. "Bailey's right. Relationships are comprised of people, and people aren't perfect. You do have to constantly work at them or else you might let something stupid tear it apart."

Barbara scowled. " And how would you know anything about that? You two are almost disgustingly sweet with each other!"

He sighed. "Because we had to learn that lesson the hard way. We both let our egos and our stubbornness cloud our visions, and we ended up breaking up with each other for several months."

Bailey nodded. "Fortunately for us, the love we had for each other was too strong to be held down for too long. But once we got back together, we had a long talk to make sure we never let anything stupid happen again. Now, we are a lot wiser."

"We had to realize that nothing was more important than us and not to let anything else get in the way. Originally, I was rejected by Yale due to an error. Bailey was going to turn it down too just to be with me. But I wouldn't let her do that. I love her too much for that to happen. I was willing to sacrifice my own happiness so that she would be happy pursuing her dream. She means that much to me."

Bailey smiled. "And Cody means that much to me. What he doesn't know is that I was going to wait until he knew where he was going and show up to surprise him on the day he moved in. Fortunately, everything worked out for us in the end as evident that we're both her, but it meant so much to me to know just how much he loved me. Knowing that is the best feeling in the whole world."

Cody turned to her in surprise. "You were?"

"Yeah, I was..."

Barbara rolled her eyes. "The way you two talk, I'm surprised Bailey doesn't have a ring on her finger already..."

Cody turned to her. "Believe me...if I could afford one worthy of her, I would have already been down on one knee by now."

Bailey smiled at him again. "But I don't need a ring to know how much he loves me."

Barbara sighed again. "So, what was the point of all of this? Was it to rub it in my face that you two have a happy relationship and that I have nothing?"

Cody sighed and shook his head. "No. It was to let you know that you need help, Barbara. To be in a successful relationship, you can't be selfish. You have to be willing to give and take and compromise. And from what I remember and from what Bob told me, you haven't demonstrated that you are willing to do that."

"Gee...thanks!"

"I take some of the blame here too. I should have been honest with you back then, and I regret not doing that now. Maybe if I had, things would have been different for you. Maybe you and Bob would have stood a chance of lasting..."

She just looked at him again. "What about us?"

Cody shook his head. "There was never a chance for that. I truly believe I was meant to meet Bailey. Barbara, when Bailey and I were apart, I was miserable. I put on an act that I was fine, but I wasn't. Half of me was missing. Not being with her hurt me more than anything in the world ever had...and that includes when my parents told me they were getting a divorce. I wake up everyday now thankful I have her back, and I'm never going to let her go again."

Bailey took his hand in hers. "And I'm the same way. While I was being stupid and stubborn, I knew I was incomplete. When Cody told me he still loved me, only then was I whole again. I'll fight whatever and whoever tries to take him away from me again."

Barbara just looked at them both. "You two...you really do love each other..."

Cody nodded and smiled. "Yeah, we do..."

"And you really believe your going to spend the rest of your lives together?"

Bailey nodded and smiled. "Yeah, we do. We've already discussed our future wedding..."

Cody turned to her. "Outdoors, right?"

She laughed. "I thought we were going to elope?"

He laughed too. "We have time to still work on the details..."

Barbara shook her head. Her entire world was collapsing around her. Were Cody and Bailey right? Had Bob been right after all? So many things that she had believed were not crumbling before her eyes. Had she really been abusive and not realized it? Had she been selfish all these years. She didn't know for sure, but she wasn't liking the thoughts swirling around her mind. Barbara was having trouble breathing and immediately jumped up.

"I have to get out of here!" And with that, she ran out of the room.

The next morning, Cody showed up at Bailey's room at 8:30 with his backpack slung over his shoulder. They had two hours to go grab breakfast over at the Commons before their CHEM 118 class across campus at 10:30. Knocking on her door, Bailey answered it with her own backpack on her shoulders.

"Morning, Sweetie."

Cody smiled at her. "Morning, Bails." He paused. "How's Barbara doing this morning?"

Bailey could only shrug. "I don't know. She never came back to the room last night..."

_Boston_

Wednesday afternoon, Zack found him doing something he never thought he would ever do again – walking to a class. He only had four classes that semester, and even that seemed like too much for him. He had an economics class and a psychology class on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and a writing seminar and a math class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Zack didn't necessarily like those choices of classes, but Moseby had told him to trust him. And like his Mom had said, this was a big opportunity for him, so he was going to do his best. Of course, after his last day of high school, he had tossed his backpack overboard, so he had to go out and buy a new one the day before.

Fortunately, Beacon Hill Community College was just down the street from the hotel and his new office, so he could walk there rather easily. And when he got to campus, his mouth almost fell open in shock. There were dozens upon dozens of girls walking around in short shorts and sundresses.

"If I had known this is how college was going to be, I would have graduated early..."

Briefly, he paused to wonder if this was the scene at Yale was similar and reminded himself to ask Cody later. Of course, he realized that Cody wouldn't know because he truly didn't look at other girls than Bailey. And that's when the pain of not having a girlfriend any longer stung Zack. Shaking his head, he focused his attention and made a beeline for the building his class met in. Walking inside the classroom, he immediately spotted an open seat in the back row and slumped down into it. He tried to clear his mind when he heard a voice.

"You look like you want to be here about as much as I do..."

He turned and noticed an attractive girl sitting next to him. He sighed. "I probably want to be here less..."

She began laughing. "I seriously doubt that." She extended her hand. "I'm Amanda Miller."

He shook her hand. "Zack Martin."

He was hoping she would leave him alone, but that was not to be. "So, what's your story, Zack?"

"Well, until Friday, I had no idea I was going to be here. My friend London Tipton..."

She interrupted him. "The hotel heiress?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Anyways, her father bought her a company as a graduation present from high school. Long story short, she hired me but said I needed to take some classes to prepare myself for the job."

Amanda just looked at him. "And you're complaining?"

Zack sighed again. "Not really. I'm grateful for the opportunity. But lets just say my life has kind of sucked since I graduated high school. On the day of our graduation, my girlfriend dumped me..."

She cringed. "Ouch...Unfortunately, I know exactly how you're feeling. My boyfriend dropped me about a week after ours. Something about an opportunity of a lifetime down in Brazil. And like you, I didn't think I'd be here either, but my Dad told me to either take some classes or he was going to put me to work in his store. This seemed like the lesser of two evils..."

"Sucks, doesn't it?"

Amanda laughed. "Oh, that's just the tip of the iceberg. It wouldn't be so bad except that my sister is a real overachiever. In comparison, I'm the lazy disappointment."

"Twins?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Identical ones, but I don't see it."

That actually caused Zack to laugh. "Its my turn to know how you feel. I'm a twin too, and I too am the lazy disappointment by comparison. My brother Cody and his geeky girlfriend are both starting classes at Yale today..."

Amanda laughed again. "No way! Kathy and her dorky boyfriend are both starting at Cornell today too..." She shook her head. "This is weird..."

"Tell me about it. Well, I guess that just leaves us underachievers here, huh?"

"I guess so..."

Fifty minutes later, the class was over, and Zack had to admit to himself that it hadn't been that bad. And as he was gathering his things, Amanda turned to him and smiled.

"I guess I'll see you every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1:00."

He found himself smiling back. "I'll be here on Tuesdays and Thursdays too. I have a English writing seminar and math class those afternoons."

"English 115 from 1:00-2:15?"

Zack just looked at her. "Yeah...How did you know?"

Amanda just grinned. "Lets just say I'll see you tomorrow."

Zack just stood there, but he couldn't afford to dawdle. His psychology class started in ten minutes. About three thirty, Zack arrived back home from his first day of college, and Carey was sitting on the couch watching television when he walked in. Seeing him home, she smiled.

"So, how was your first day of classes?"

Zack shrugged. "It was alright..."

Carey's eyes went open in surprise. "It was alright?" She jumped up from the couch and ran over to Zack to feel his forehead. "You don't feel like you have a fever..."

He rolled his eyes. "I feel fine."

She just looked at him. "Zack, you begged me not to send you back to preschool after your first day. Now, all of a sudden, it was alright?"

"Yeah, Mom...it was fine. No big deal..."

Carey paused before a smile formed on her face. "Okay...what's her name?"

_New Haven_

About the same time Zack was getting home from his last class of the day, Cody and Bailey were leaving their CHEM 118 discussion group class. While they were both worried about Barbara, both thoroughly enjoyed their first day of college classes. From 10:30-11:20, they had had their CHEM 118 lecture. And both took seats in the front row in the middle and feverishly took notes all class period – even though nothing of real substance was taught the first day. From 11:30-12:50, they did the exact same thing in their PHYS (Physics) 200 class. Fortunately, their two morning classes were in buildings next to each other, so only having ten minutes between classes was not a big deal.

They spent the hour and half free time they had grabbing lunch on campus near Science Hill, and they were the first to arrive at their discussion group. Once it was over, they began the walk back towards their dorm excitedly talking about their first day.

"Cody, I knew we were right all along. Our chemistry and physics classes should be nothing but refresher courses for us."

He laughed. "I know. I can't wait until next semester when we get to take Organic Chem. That should least challenge us a little bit."

She laughed too. "Well, at least I hope it will. I mean...after all, we are the two students who found an error in our high school chemistry books and called them to change it."

"We have no homework yet, so what do you feel like doing tonight?"

Bailey paused to think. "How about we hit the dining hall and hang out in your room?" She smiled at him. "I believe I saw in the school newspaper that the Red Sox are playing the Yankees tonight. We could watch it..."

Cody just stopped in his tracks and looked at her. "Really?"

"Sure. Why not?"

The biggest smile formed on his face. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

She smiled back at him. "Yeah, I do. As much as I love you..."

"Bails, since the Sox are a shoe in to make the playoffs, if I can tickets to a playoff game on a weekend, I'd love to take you to it..."

"Careful, Cody...They haven't clinched anything yet..."

He laughed. "True, but for them not to make the playoffs, they'd...they'd...well, they'd have to have the biggest collapse in the history of major league baseball..."

She just shook her head and laughed. "I hope you didn't just jinx them."

They finally returned back to LW, and they both decided they would check to see if Barbara had returned back to her room or not. Nothing could have prepared them for what they found when they did. Bailey unlocked the door to her room, and when both of them walked inside, both of their eyes went wide in shock.

"Oh my God!"

__To ____be ____Continued...__


	6. You Know the Old Saying

_Episode __6_

_"You Know the Old Saying"_

_I __don't __own __these __characters, __but __it __would __be __nice __if __I __did._

_Wait...In __this __story, __I __created __some __of __the __characters, __so __I __will __actually __own __them._

_Anyways, __I __do __promise __to __keep __them __true __to __themselves._

_And __as __to __the __ones __I __create, __who __they __are __is __up __to __me, __so..._

_Boston_

Zack's head snapped around, and he looked at his mother. "What's whose name?"

Carey just kept smiling. "The girl you met today. Don't even try to deny it, Zack. Your my son...I know you."

He sighed. "Her name's Amanda, but its not what you think. We just talked briefly and realized we had a lot in common..."

"Oh...like what?"

"Well, that we both have a twin sibling attending an ivy league university with their geeky or dorky significant others. Both of us have no idea what it is we want to do in our lives. Both of us are only taking classes at the community college because we are essentially being forced to. Oh...and we both recently were dumped by our significant others who took off out of the country for an..." He used his fingers to make quotes. "...opportunity of a lifetime."

Carey just looked at him in surprise. "Oh..."

Zack smirked back. "Exactly. While I did learn all of that, we only talked for all of about ten minutes. That's it..."

"Well, Honey...you never know..."

"Well, I do. Mom, I've decided to take a break from girls for a little while."

She just looked at him skeptically. "Uh huh..."

"I know my past history says otherwise, but I really mean it. What's the old saying? Once bitten, twice shy?"

Carey paused nodded. "True, but there is also the saying that you have to eventually get back up on the horse..."

Zack sighed. "And I will...eventually. But, like you've been telling me, I've had a big opportunity fall right into my lap. Shouldn't I focus all of my efforts on to it right now?"

"Zack...you can do more than one thing at the same time. Its called multitasking. Actually, a lot of people seem to handle work and school and relationships."

He smirked back. "Oh yeah? When was your last date, Mom?"

She frowned at him. "That's irrelevant..."

"Is it?"

Carey sighed. "Zack, I only ask because for the whole summer, I've been extremely worried about you. I thought you and that couch were going to become permanently fused together. Seeing you working and taking classes has made me so proud of you. I just don't want you to miss out on everything that life has to offer."

"I'll be fine, Mom. Something Cody said to me has started to make sense to me lately."

"What's that?"

"He said I was going to have to, one way or another, deal with the Maya issue. Either I was going to have to move on or make a move to get her back. Staying in neutral, while its easier, is getting me nowhere."

She nodded. "I understand."

Zack paused and began laughing. "Its kind of funny actually. I used to always give Cody and Bailey a hard time about how they were with each other. But the really funny thing was that I actually envied them. I mean...they could just be themselves with each other. After a while, they knew who each other was and accepted it. No matter how goofy or nerdy Cody was, Bailey completely loved that about him. And no matter how nerdy or how many stories about life on the farm she could tell, Cody completely loved that about her. While they had their issues, they always overcame them. When one needed the other, the other was there. And beyond that, they were each others best friend."

Carey smiled. "I know. I've watched them together with my own eyes."

"And I wanted something like that for myself. And I thought I had found it with Maya." He shrugged. "Maybe I was wrong?"

"I don't know, Zack. That is something for you to figure out."

"And I liked being in a relationship. I liked that I didn't always have to be on top of my game. I liked just hanging out and being with her." He paused. "Mom, I think I was in love with her..."

Carey wrapped her arm around her son's shoulder. "I know what you mean. I remember this one time with an old boyfriend of mine, I..."

He cut her off. "Please, Mom...I've had enough stories about your former boyfriends to last me a lifetime..."

"Okay. Unfortunately, Zack, I don't have the answers for you. I can just tell you the same thing I used to always tell you and Cody when you were younger...follow your heart."

Zack sighed. "I just wish I knew what it really wanted..."

_New Haven_

Cody and Bailey walked into Bailey's dorm room and just looked around wide eyed. Everything on Barbara's side of the room was gone. It was like she had never been there.

"Where is she?"

Bailey turned to Cody. "Where are all of her things?"

Cody looked around again. "I have no idea..." But out of the corned of his eye, he saw something. Laying on the bed almost completely blending into with mattress was an envelope. Cody walked over and picked it up. Getting a good look at it, he could see it was addressed to both he and Bailey.

"Okay...this is really weird."

Bailey nodded. "Yeah. Open the envelope and see what's inside."

Cody did and found a letter inside. Both of them sat down on Bailey's bed and began reading it.

_Dear Cody & Bailey,_

_As you can see by now, I've left school. And not just temporarily but forever. Last night, after I ran out, I needed time to think. And I spent the whole night walking around campus doing just that - thinking. I thought about the past several years of my life, and I realized a lot of things. Many I knew about, many I had just learned and some I wish I didn't know about._

_Bob was correct when he told you why he broke up with me. The sad thing is I didn't realize he was until last night. I had thought he was wrong, but when you confirmed everything he said, Cody, I had to finally face it. What's the old saying? Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern. When you mentioned the day we graduated middle school, I realized I had shown a pattern within twenty-four hours. _

_I always knew I was competitive, but I thought that was okay. And after what you two told me last night, I realize it is. But my problem was that I was also selfish. I only thought about how things effected me and not the others around me. I should have been happy for you that you were valedictorian, but I wasn't. I can't take that back, but I can offer you a very belated congratulations. Cody, I owe you a lot more that that. I owe you a very big apology for my past behavior, and I hope you will accept it. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't, but I know how kind and generous of a person you are. And when I see Bob again, I will offer my apologies to him as well._

_But as much as you might forgive me for my past actions, you might not forgive me for what I had in mind for the future. You see, in my warped thinking, I thought back and remembered Cody had never once complained about my behavior. To me, that was a sure sign that it was Cody I was meant to be with. I had began formulating a plan of getting you two apart and getting Cody back for myself._

_Fortunately, I never got that far. You two showed me the light last night. And as I was walking around thinking, several things that I hadn't noticed or refused to notice suddenly became very clear to me. I have to admit that I've done my share of spying on the two of you the past few days. Again, I'm sorry for that, but I thought you two might like to know what I saw...what I really saw without my blinders on. _

_Bailey, when I first met you, I admit I didn't like you. Even though I was with Bob and it was all an act devised by Cody, I was upset. I thought you had something that belonged to me. And when I saw you two again over this weekend, I had the same thought. Well, I was wrong. Oh, I wasn't wrong that you had Cody, but I was wrong that he belonged to me. Even back on the ship, I could see the way he looked at you. I could tell he was smitten with you. But the looks he gives you now are so much more. When he looks at you now, its like he's looking at the most precious thing in the world to him. The love he has for you is crystal clear to anyone. And to my chagrin then, you looked at him the exact same way. But as I walked around last night thinking, I realized that he belongs to you and you to him...you belong to each other. And...I'm actually okay with that._

_I also realized last night that the Cody I knew years ago is not the same one right next to you reading this letter. The one then was timid and non-confrontational. The one now is full of confidence and completely at easy in his own skin. And I'm not stupid enough to know that you are the reason for that. Bailey, you have yourself a wonderful guy. Take care of him. Be good to him. And Cody, while you have changed some, I know you are still a gentleman. I know you will take good care of her and be good to her as well. _

_Again, I'm sorry for everything...both in the past, in the present and my silly ideas for the future. I promise I am making plans to better myself. I spoke with my parents this morning, and we agreed it was a good idea for me to come back to Boston. I've got an appointment to see a counselor on Friday. Hopefully, I'll be able to resume my studies next semester, but right now, I need to focus on me. But don't worry. I won't be matriculating back to Yale. I think I want to go to school in another part of the country to give myself a fresh start. Where my future leads me, I don't know. But the one thing I do know is that I want someone to look at me the way you two look at each other. Neither Cody nor Bob ever looked at me that way, and I realize its because its the look of true love. Right now, I might not deserve it, but I hope, in time, I will._

_In conclusion, knock 'em dead here at Yale. And good luck to you both in your futures both in medicine and in your life together. I know you two will be a success in both. And thank you both for last night. I needed the wake up call. _

_Best wishes...Barbara_

Cody and Bailey both finished reading it and looked up at each other.

"Wow..."

Cody nodded. "I know..." He sighed and began rubbing his eyes.

"You okay, Sweetie?"

He paused. "On one hand, I'm glad she's finally seen that her behavior was unacceptable and is getting help to deal with it, but what she was planning..." He shook his head.

"I know. Trust me. I'm plenty upset about that part too. But its like you told me...she would have been waging a losing battle."

Cody turned to Bailey. "That's for sure. I knew she had some issues, but I never would have imagined she would have tried something like that." He paused. "Maybe I should have. I don't know. It just angers me that she thought she could dictate to me what my life should be like just because she thought she knew what was best or what was best for her. That's so...so...arrogant!"

Bailey smiled at him. "Trust me. I've had to deal with that same thing myself. It sucks, but it makes you all the more thankful and appreciative for what we have now."

He smiled back at her. "Yeah. It does." He laughed. "Well, I guess you are without a roommate now, Bails."

"I guess so..." She laughed. "...until they decide to assign a third roommate to me at some point."

Cody grinned. "Just don't get too comfortable thinking you have it all to yourself. Just remember what happened with Zack when they assigned Marcus to him..."

"Oh, I remember. But off the top of my head, I can't think of any former child musicians they could put me with. Didn't we read where Hannah Montana or whatever her real name was was going to Stanford?"

Cody laughed again. "Actually, I think it was Standford. One of those small schools that try to sound like a bigger one to fool people. You really think Stanford would lower their admission standards to let her in?"

Bailey shrugged. "Either way...until then, we can use my room as a study room. I mean there are two desks and chairs in here now. My room can be our serious room, and we can just hang out and relax in yours..."

"Sounds good to me..." He teased her. "Sure you won't be lonesome up here all by yourself?"

"Are you kidding me? I've never had a room to myself before in my life! You had your coat closet for a while, but this will be a first for me!"

_Boston_

For Zack, the next several weeks seemed to blend together. During the week, he'd get up early, go to work and then go to class. On the weekends, he'd sleep in and then put off doing his homework until Sunday night. He had tried to get Cody to do some of his homework for him again, but Cody said he was busy with his own studies. The best Zack could get was that Cody agreed to edit his English paper for him. Unfortunately for Zack, after being in class for several weeks, his first round of exams were coming up. As he was leaving his economics class on Wednesday, he could only dread the exam they had the following Monday.

"Our first test...this should be fun..."

Zack turned and saw Amanda with a look of misery on her face.

"I know what you mean. I thought I was done with tests forever. I guess I was wrong."

"Oh...and don't forget that our first papers in English are due next Thursday..."

Zack sighed. "Oh, I didn't forget. I got my brother to agree to edit it for me. Unfortunately, I have to send it to Cody by Tuesday so he has twenty-four hours to get suggestions back to me. I miss the old days when I could just...borrow one of his old ones..."

Amanda laughed. "He used to let you do that?"

"No way...its just his password was a lot easier to crack back then. I'm sure it still has something to do with his girlfriend, Bailey, but so far, I haven't been able to figure out what it is."

"Awww..."

Zack laughed. "I know. So, one of the last weekends of decently nice weather we'll have, I'll have to spend Saturday writing a paper and Sunday studying for an economics test."

"Same here. Growing up sucks, doesn't it?"

"Yeah...it does."

She paused. "Maybe we can help each other out then? If you are going to study on Sunday and I was going to study on Sunday, maybe we should study together?"

Zack shrugged. "Sure. Why not? I could use all the help I can get..."

"Me too..." She laughed. "This way, we can take turns calling our siblings to have them explain something we don't understand..."

He laughed too. "Yeah, I could see mine beginning to screen his calls after a while."

"Mine too. How about one o'clock then? I do plan on sleeping in at least one day."

"Works for me. You know where the Tipton Hotel is?"

Amanda nodded. "Yeah. Not far from here."

Zack pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled it on. "This is my suite number and my cell phone number. Just show up or call me about one."

She tore off a piece of that piece of paper. "And this is my cell number. Call me if something comes up."

"Will do. Alright, I gotta get going. I still have one more class this afternoon. Can't deprive myself the joys of Psych 101."

"Good luck with that. I'm going to head home and take a nap..."

Zack just looked at her. "Lucky!" He paused and shivered. "Whoa...I definitely spent way too much time around Woody..."

_New Haven_

The next several weeks passed by at Yale as well. The first week and a half of classes was overlapped by the continuing freshman orientation. The final day of it was Saturday, September 10 which had all incoming freshman helping out at a local Habitat for Humanity project. And while Bailey had no problems putting on a tool belt again, Cody had to find other ways he could be productive. By the time it was over, both felt good and tired. Riding the bus back to campus, Cody turned to Bailey.

"I saw you using a screwdriver again.."

Bailey just looked at him. "You mean a saw? You really don't know tools, do you?"

Cody shook his head. "I really don't. Woodshop is the worst grade I've ever gotten..."

She smiled at him. "Its okay, Sweetie. What did you end up doing anyways?"

"Well, since I do know electronics, they wanted me to install some electrical outlets. But...I couldn't do that..."

"Why not?"

"Bails, if I did, every time I heard a fire engine siren, I would worry that they were heading to the house because of something I screwed up..."

She rubbed his back. "I can understand that. So, what did you end up doing?"

Cody grinned. "Well, I do have a green thumb. They put me in charge of planting some bushes in the back yard."

Bailey just laughed. "I can definitely see that..."

The next day was their first day without any freshman orientation activities. But they had something else far more important that they wanted to do. Of course, that next day was September 11, 2011 – the ten year anniversary of the terrorist attacks. So, they drove down to New York to a park and ride station of the New York subway. From there, they rode the subway down to Ground Zero and observed several ceremonies.

Bailey just shook her head. "I still can't believe there is enough evil in this world that would allow something like that to have happened."

Cody squeezed her hand. "I know." He nodded up towards the new tower being built. "But that right there is proof of the American spirit. You knock us down, and we'll get right back up."

"You're right...And we got Bin Ladin back in May. It took us ten years, but we got him..."

"Yeah. We'll just have to see what comes next. Unfortunately, I don't think we've seen the end of all of this yet..."

The next day was a big one for every freshman at Yale as well. That Monday was the day they had to finalize their schedules for their first semesters. And fortunately for Cody and Bailey, they got the exact schedules they had initially planned. They would have four regular classes and two labs. Their CHEM 118 class met on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:30 to 11:20 with a discussion section on Wednesday afternoons from 2:30 to 3:20. Their CHEM 119L lab would be on Tuesday afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00. Their PHYS 200 class would be on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:35-12:50 with its accompanying lab, PHYS 205L, on Friday afternoons from 12:30 to 3:30. Their other two classes would be MATH 120 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 to 10:15 and PHIL 178, Introduction to Political Philosophy, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 to 11:45.

And that schedule seemed perfect to them. That gave them Sunday mornings, Monday afternoons and Thursday afternoons to do their homework and lab reports. That left them Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings to have time for themselves. Plus, it allowed them time to make sure they had a nutritious lunch every day. All that was left to do was a rite of passage of every college student – grimacing as they paid an outlandish amount of money for their books. And since their books were being paid for by Wilfred Tipton, they opted for brand new ones. While any used book would have been used by a Yale student, that student could have been an idiot. Plus, they planned on keeping all of their books anyways.

As the weeks went by, it became time for the first round of exams at Yale as well. Towards the end of September, they had their first chemistry test. After it was over, they returned back to Cody's room and just sat back on his bed to relax.

"Our first test done and over with..."

Bailey nodded. "Yeah, it is..." She began laughing. "Could it have been any easier?"

Cody laughed too. "I know. I think Mr. Auchapenny's first test in AP Chemistry last year was harder..."

She sighed in contentment. "Well, we can't rest on our laurels. Our first math exam is next week, our first philosophy paper due the week after and our physics midterm the week after that..."

He turned to her. "Well, we're both almost already done with our papers..."

"True. I'm so glad we're still keeping ourselves ahead of the game."

"Me too..."

Bailey was about to say something else, but at that moment, Tapeworm came into the room. He dropped his backpack on the floor, fell onto his bed and sighed. Cody and Bailey looked at each other before Cody spoke up.

"You okay, Buddy?"

Tapeworm sighed. "Oh yeah...I just saw the girl of my dreams..."

__To ____be ____Continued...__


	7. Boys to Men

_Episode 7_

_"Boys to Men"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

_New Haven_

Tapeworm just kept laying back on his bed with his hands behind his head. As he let out a sigh of contentment, a dopey grin spread out on his face. Cody and Bailey just looked at each before they turned back to him.

"Soooo...Congratulations, Man. Who's the lucky lady?"

Tapeworm just kept staring at the ceiling and shook his head. "I don't know..."

Bailey paused. "You don't even know her name?"

"Nope. I was in the library and I saw her across the way. And when I saw her, I froze and my heart started to beat a thousand times a minute..." He sighed. "Next thing I know, a tour group passed between us, and by the time they had passed, she was gone..."

Cody smiled. "Well, at least you know what she looks like the next time you see her, right?"

"Uh huh...She looks like an angel..."

"Well, the next time you see her, why not go up to her, introduce yourself and ask her out?"

Tapeworm turned to Cody. "You really think I should?"

"Sure. Go for it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Bailey turned and gave Cody an exasperated look. "Really? You of all people are giving him that advice? Mr. Six Month Plan himself telling someone to just go for it?"

Cody rolled his eyes. "It worked, didn't it?"

Bailey just kept giving him the same look. Cody sighed. "Okay, fine. There are several different methods you can choose to use. The direct approach would be the Zack method. Then there is finding out if she is on some game like Better Life or Worlds of Warcraft and getting to know her anonymously. If you screw up the first time, you just create a new online personality and try again. That would be the Woody method. Then there's where you become friends first and let it grow from there. That was the method I chose with Bailey. I'm glad I did because we have our friendship as the basis of our relationship."

Bailey smiled at him. "Much better."

Cody smiled back at her before turning back to Tapeworm. "And then there is the Tapeworm method..."

Tapeworm frowned and looked at him. "And what is that?"

"You tell us."

Bailey smiled. "Cody's right. Trust me...a girl will always remember what a guy did to get her attention. While it would have been nice if Cody had just told me how he felt from the beginning, I look back with a great deal of fondness at what he did. I find it so sweet and completely endearing what he did to try to get me. It really showed me that he thought I was worth it, and I will never forget that for as long as I live."

"Bails, you're still worth it."

Tapeworm was now sitting up on his bed deep in thought. "Maybe you're right...I guess the first thing to do would be to learn her name, huh?"

Cody laughed. "That would be a good place to start."

Tapeworm stood up and headed out of the room. "You're right. But for now, I need to run to the men's."

After he was gone, Bailey turned to Cody. "This could be interesting."

"Yeah, it could. I hope it works out for him though. I know exactly what he meant about seeing a girl for the first time and getting tongue tied and having my heart beat that hard..."

She smiled again. "Yeah? Anyone I know?"

He smiled back. "Well...lets just say I'm not tongue tied around her anymore, but she still causes my pulse to race every time she's near me." He took her hand and place it over his heart. "Does that give you any clues?"

_Boston_

The next morning, Zack's alarm went off way too early once again. Getting up out of bed, he drug himself into the bathroom for his morning constitutional and to grab a shower. Once he was done and dressed, he came back out into the suite. But to his surprise, Carey was standing in the kitchen, and something that actually smelled good was emanating from it.

"What's going on, Mom? You're never up this early fixing breakfast..."

Carey looked up and smiled at him. "Well, not everyday is your birthday, Honey...especially your 18th one."

Zack had to smile. "How did I almost forget it was my own birthday? I've definitely been working way too hard lately..."

"Yeah, you have, but I'm proud of you. Before I forget though, I need you to sign a few things."

"What's that?"

Carey sighed. "Zack, you're 18 now. With that comes several opportunities and responsibilities. For one, you need to sign your voter registration. Second, you need to sign up for selective service. While I don't like the thought of it, you have to do it."

He sighed. "Great..."

She smiled. "But the good news is that I'm going to take you out to dinner tonight anywhere you want to go. So, once you figure out where that is, let me know, and I'll make us reservations."

Zack nodded. "I'll think about it." He sighed again. "I guess I should eat up so I won't be late. The last thing I want is for Moseby to yell at me for being late on my birthday..."

_New Haven_

That same morning, at 7:15 in the morning, Cody and Tapeworm had already woken up, showered and dressed for the day. As they were packing their backpacks for their days, there was a knock at the door. Cody answered it to find Bailey standing there.

"Good morning, Bails."

She leaned in and kissed him. "Good morning, Sweetie..." She smiled. "And before I forget..." She leaned in and gave him a deeper, more passionate kiss. "...Happy Birthday, Baby."

Cody grinned. "You remembered..."

"Of course I did. Of all people, I know what its like to have people forget your birthday. Besides, after what you did for me on mine, there was no way I was going to forget..."

Tapeworm looked up. "Oh yeah? What did Cody do?"

Bailey smiled. "Well, I was in Kettlecorn and he was in Boston, so we couldn't physically be together. But first thing that morning, a dozen roses were delivered to me. And they were so beautiful, and the card Cody had sent with it was so sweet. When I got home from working that day, there were three packages at the house waiting for me. There was also a note from Cody not to open them until we talked on webcam at out usual time. Well, after I had a party thrown for me by my family, I went to my room and turned on my computer. As soon as Cody appeared on my screen, he began singing 'Happy Birthday' to me. And then he told me to open the packages. The first one contained two bottles of perfume. One was the same kind that he first bought me when we started dating. The second one was a fragrance I found later that we both loved the way it smelled. Inside the second box, Cody had sent me a zip up Yale sweatshirt with a note saying that he would keep me warm on cold New England nights but that it might help. Now, what was in the third box almost made me cry. He had baked me a birthday cake and overnighted it to me. But there was a piece missing from it, and when I looked up, there he was with that piece on a plate. We were able to share my birthday cake together..."

"Awww..." Tapeworm grinned. "Cody...such a romantic. You must teach me, master..."

Cody blushed, but he was rewarded with another kiss from Bailey.

Tapeworm sighed. "Touche...I need to get me a girlfriend. Anyways, what are your big birthday plans for the day?"

Cody shrugged. "I'm not sure. I guess it will be just business as usual today."

Bailey grinned. "Up until a point. We'll still go to class and then do our homework. But after that, its my turn to make a big deal out of your birthday. I've already bought us tickets to see Dolphin Tale at a 6:00 showing and then dinner reservations for us at 8:30."

Cody smiled. "Really?"

"Uh huh. I thought we could go do some dancing afterwards too." She teased him. "I can now take you to an 18 and over dance club now. I'm no longer dating a minor..."

He just shook his head and laughed. "Oh my...the cradle robber. Bails, you're only two months older than I am..."

"I know. Just teasing you, Sweetie."

"Well, I need to drop off a few things at the post office before we head out – my voter registration and my selective service card..."

Bailey shuddered and frowned. "While I know you would look handsome in a uniform, I don't even want to think of that possibility, Cody. I'm glad this country hasn't had a draft since the Vietnam War..."

"I know, Bails...but its the law." He smiled. "But just think. We're both 18 now. We can finally vote and have a say in what our government does."

That got a smile out of her. "That's true. Lets get going then. I need to make sure my birthday boy gets a nutritious breakfast. I have a long evening planned for you..."

That afternoon by 3:30, Cody and Bailey had gone to all of their classes and finished all of their homework. And according to Bailey, it was time to go in to pure birthday mode. She was going to head up to her room to get Cody's presents. And while she did that, Cody headed down to get his mail. When they met back in Cody's room, Cody had a large stack of envelopes with him.

Bailey grinned. "Open your cards later. I want you to open your gifts from me first."

Cody grinned back. "Sure thing." He opened the first one she gave him, and he busted out laughing when he saw what it was. It was a navy blue apron that read 'Only Bailey Gets to Kiss this Cook'. "I love it, Bailey. I'll wear it while I make Thanksgiving."

"Not only is it a good look on you, but its also true."

Cody opened the other gift she gave him, and he found an identical sweatshirt to the one he had given her in his size. He smiled. "Thanks, Bails. I almost bought one for myself when I bought yours."

Bailey smiled at him. "Well, I can be your twin now when we wear them."

He laughed. "I like that. We just have to be careful doing it around London. She's have a fit and accuse of crimes against fashion." He paused. "Though, it wouldn't be the first time she's accused me of that..."

She laughed. "Me either. I say we wear them both on Thanksgiving."

"Deal!"

"Okay, before we head out, why don't you see who your cards are from?"

Cody nodded and began opening them. "Alright...The first one is from my Dad...with a one hundred dollar bill inside. Thanks Dad!" Bailey laughed again. "And the next one is from my Mom and Zack with another one hundred dollar bill. This day is only getting better..." He paused and sighed. "I didn't even think to send Zack one..."

Bailey smiled at him. "You did or rather we did. I sent him one and signed both of our names to it."

"Thanks, Sweetie. You're the best." Cody continued opening his birthday cards. "Alright...we have one from Moseby and Tut...one from Esteban and Francesca...one from London...one from Arwin...one from Marcus...one from Maddie...one from Woody AND Addison..." He paused and grinned. "I got one from the both of them? Should that be telling us something?"

Bailey smiled again. "If it does, good for them..."

"Yeah, good for them. Alright...one from my grandmother...one from my Aunt...and one from..." He grinned. "...you, Bails." He leaned in and kissed her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. You have two more left."

Cody nodded. "Okay...this one is from...your family. Awww..." He paused. "You know from now on that any card you send back to Kettlecorn will be from the both of us, right?"

She laughed. "I know."

"Good. Next time you call home, let me know. I want to thank them personally. Alright, last but not least, I have one from..." But when Cody saw who it was from, he didn't know what to think.

"Who's it from, Cody?"

He turned to Bailey. "Its from Maya. I can't believe she sent me one."

Bailey frowned. "I know. How did she know you were here and your address? Didn't she leave for Chad well before you knew you were coming here?"

"I think so..." He paused. "I wonder if she sent one to Zack too..."

_Boston_

Zack made it through work and school that day...barely. Its not like it was that bad of a day, but Zack had no desire to spending his birthday working and in class. And Moseby was actually really nice to him. He had even set up a little office birthday party for Zack. And when Zack saw Amanda in class, she found out it was his birthday and offered to buy him a pudding cup later. Zack had just laughed and said there was no way he could turn that down.

That evening, Carey and Zack did go out to dinner at Zack's favorite place. But he had drawn the line at the waiters and waitresses singing to him. After dinner, Carey and Zack walked back to the Tipton, and as they did, they chatted.

"So, how's your 18th birthday been so far?"

Zack sighed. "Its been alright I guess. Its just been a little weird that's all..."

"How so?"

"Well, for the first time that I can remember, I'm celebrating my birthday without Cody. I know its not possible for him to be here because he has classes tomorrow, but it just doesn't seem right..."

Carey nodded. "I know what you mean. For three years, I wasn't there to be with you two when you celebrated your birthdays. But I knew you two had each other. And we know that Cody has Bailey and Tapeworm to celebrate with in New Haven."

"That's true I guess." He yawned. "I can't believe how tired I am. If the Zack of a year ago saw me right now, he'd kick my butt..."

She laughed. "I think he'd understand. But to be on the safe side, lets get you home."

Zack nodded, and they both walked into the Boston Tipton. After taking the elevator up to the 23rd floor, Zack opened the door to the suite and flipped on the lights.

"SURPRISE!"

Zack's jaw fell open in shock. The suite was decorated with balloons and streamers. And on the table was a birthday cake with eighteen candles on it. And when he looked around, he could see his friends. There was London, Moseby, Tut, Bob, Arwin, Esteban, Francesca and Maddie.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ZACK!"

_New Haven_

Cody and Bailey were taking a leisurely stroll through campus. The had gone to see their movie, and afterwards, Bailey took Cody to dinner at the Union League Cafe. It was a highly recommended French restaurant right by campus. Of course, when Cody saw the prices on the menu, his eyes went wide.

"Bails! This place is kind of...steep!"

She smiled. "I know, but your birthday only comes once a year. I think that's a good reason to splurge a little bit."

"Are you sure?"

"You remember when you told me yesterday that I was worth it? Well, so are you, Cody."

And the food was worth the price. Both Cody and Bailey immensely enjoyed it. They even shared their entrees with each other, and to themselves, both knew it was some place they would be returning to for special occasions in the future. As they walked home, the only real complaint they had was that it was too upscale for the waiters and waitresses to sing happy birthday to him. But they did share the complimentary crème brulee.

As they walked backed towards their dorm, they took their time and just enjoyed the evening.

"You sure you don't want to go dancing, Bails?"

She smiled. "I'm sure. Silly me wore the wrong kind of shoes for it. I'm sorry."

He smiled back. "Its quite alright, Honey. I'm just happy I got to spend my birthday with you. I did, and that's all that matters to me."

"I'm glad you had a good one."

When they got back to LW, Bailey said she needed to head down and get her mail, so Cody followed her down. But when he got down to the basement, his jaw almost hit the floor when he saw streamers and balloons and a cake with eighteen candles.

"SURPRISE!"

_Boston_

Zack was milling about the suite talking to all of the guests that had showed up for his surprise party. As he was talking to everyone, Moseby came up to him with a big grin on his face.

"Finally! I was able to get one over on Zack Martin!"

Zack laughed. "Well, enjoy it. It won't ever happen again..."

Moseby laughed. "Oh...but I think it will. I still owe you payback for a lot of your pranks over the years...especially for the chair with the balloons. I have a great idea about that..."

Zack just looked at him in surprise when his Mom grabbed his arm.

"Come on, Zack...Its time to open your presents and your cards."

_New Haven_

It seemed like every Freshman in Berkeley College who lived in LW was down in the basement to celebrate Cody's birthday. He thanked everyone for coming as he milled about the party in his honor. Of course, he quickly blew out the candles so the cake could began being served. He wasn't stupid and knew they all wanted cake. And after it was served, the music came on, and college students began dancing as they don't need a reason to party. Cody finally stopped to catch his breath, and as soon as he sat down, Bailey sat down on his lap. Cody grinned at her.

"I have to admit. You and Tapeworm got me good. I never expected this..."

She grinned back at him. "Good. Nice to know I can still keep you on your toes. So, what do you think of your party?"

He paused. "You know...its kind of strange. I've never had a birthday party thrown for just me before. I've always had to share the guest of honor status with Zack."

She just looked at him. "I never thought about that..."

"Its okay. One of the perils of being a twin."

"Cody, you may be a twin, but you're one of a kind to me."

"Thanks, Sweetie. Have I mentioned lately how amazing you are?"

Bailey smiled. "You might of mentioned it..."

Cody smiled back at her. "Well, I didn't have to make a wish. I already have everything I could want. I know I have the most wonderful girlfriend in the world, and that makes me the luckiest guy in the world. I love you, Bails."

She leaned in and kissed him. "I love you too."

At that moment, a Hannah Montana song began playing on the stereo. Cody smiled again. "I think we danced to this song on our first date. I know you don't have the right kind of shoes on, but may I have this one dance?"

"Cody, I purposely didn't wear the right kind of shoes to get you back here." She smiled at him again. "But I would love to dance with you. As far as I'm concerned, you can have them all."

"Same here, Bails..."

As they stood up, Bailey turned to him. "What were we thinking a few years ago when we liked this music?"

He shrugged. "I guess our taste in music changes when we get older..." He grinned. "Before you know it, we'll be shaking our heads at stupid kids and telling them to pull up their pants."

_Boston_

Zack was had finished opening all of his gifts and was now opening his cards. He got down to his very last card and opened it. And when he saw who it was from and what it said, he was surprised once again that night.

"Happy Birthday, Zack! I really miss you! Love, Maya"

__To be Continued...__


	8. Saturday the 29th

_Episode 8_

_"Saturday the 29th"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

__Boston__

The entire next day after his birthday, Zack was completely distracted. He kept looking at the birthday card he got from Maya over and over again trying to understand what she meant by it. Did she miss him like she would a friend or did she miss him for other reasons? And when she said 'Love, Maya', what did she mean by that exactly? Was it just the term of affection between two people who had been close or was she trying to tell him something? The more Zack thought about it, the more confused he got and the more his head hurt. So, he did anything he could do to keep himself from thinking about it.

On Saturday, he decided to dive into his English paper hoping it would distract him. But when he read that the topic was to talk about a personal experience and how it affected you, it just began pouring out of Zack. He wrote about meeting Maya and finally wanting to be in a relationship after being a confirmed bachelor. He wrote about how he had never been happier than when he was with her. And then he talked about her dumping him right before graduation and how it made him feel. Before he knew it, he had written almost ten full pages. And surprisingly, he felt a lot better than he had in a long time.

He paused to think. "Okay...I can definitely see what Cody was dealing with when he wrote that terrible play..."

He shook his head, saved it and emailed it to Cody to review for him. Once he was done, he decided he had earned the rest of the day off. Of course the next day was his study session with Amanda. And right at 1:00 that afternoon, Amanda showed up at the suite on the 23rd floor.

"So, how was your birthday weekend?"

Zack paused. "You know...It hasn't been bad. For some reason, I got motivated yesterday and finished my English paper already."

She just looked at him. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "It was weird. I started thinking about my breakup with my ex, and it just started pouring out of me..."

Amanda paused. "Huh...Maybe I should try that as well?"

"Go for it. I actually found it to be helpful." He grinned. "But for now, we need to start studying economics. If not, we could be in for a long day tomorrow."

So, for the rest of that afternoon, Zack and Amanda studied economics. And for the most part, it was rather successful. Of course, there were a few phone calls to their respective twins to get them to explain certain concepts. But all in all, by the time Amanda got ready to head home, both felt they had reached the point of diminishing returns.

"You think we're ready for tomorrow?"

Zack shrugged. "About as well as we'll ever be. And I don't know about your sister, but I think I've used my limit on my phone-a-twin's today. Cody seemed annoyed the last time I called him. Something about a lab report he and Bailey were trying to get done..."

"Mine wasn't too happy after the fifth phone call either. Oh well, see you tomorrow."

The next afternoon was their exam, and to both of their surprises, both actually felt somewhat good about it when they got done. And after they turned in their English papers on Thursday, both were ready for some downtime.

"Zack, I don't know about you, but I feel like doing absolutely nothing right now..."

"Same here. I just wish today was Friday instead of Thursday."

"You're preaching to the choir. Why don't we do something tomorrow night to celebrate?"

Zack paused to consider that. "Yeah...why not? We deserve a break!"

Amanda smiled. "Good. I know a pizza place and movie theater near where you live. How about a pie and a flick?"

Zack smiled back. "Sounds good to me."

The next night, Zack and Amanda met up at Cheesy Charlie's, and split a pizza. And as they ate, they joked around with each other and just got to know each other better. And the movie was pretty decent too. They went with a comedy deciding to keep things light. After it was over, both were still laughing.

"Good call on the movie. I mean seriously. I can't believe there are people who actually went and saw Dolphin Tale. Can you?"

Zack laughed. "Actually, I can. My brother's girlfriend took him to see it the night of his birthday..."

Amanda just looked at him. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. Those two...well...they march to the beat of their own drummer. Probably why they get along so well together."

She paused. "I can see that. My sister and her boyfriend are the same way. Kind of makes you wonder how two sets of twins can be so different. Its almost like those two should have been twins instead of with us..."

He grinned. "Well, if Cody and I didn't look enough alike, I would probably think you were on to something."

"Well, Zack...Thank you for a fun evening." Amanda smiled. "Thanks for reminding me that its possible to have a night of fun out with a guy without their being any strings attached. That its possible for a guy and a girl to be friends..."

Zack nodded. "Yeah...I guess we are becoming friends." He stuck on his hand for her to shake it. "Good night, pal."

On the way home, Zack actually found himself to be in a good mood. Well, that was until he had the feeling that someone was watching him. He turned around to check it out, but there was no one there. Shaking his head, he kept walking, but that brief moment got stuck in his head and wouldn't go away. Who would be spying on him? Laughing, he realized that was silly to think about. But then a random thought snuck into his head. What if it had been Maya? Quickly, he shook his head again. That wasn't possible as she was halfway around the world. But that thought kept lingering in his mind. And the thought of Maya seeing him out with another girl, no matter how innocent it was, was making him feel something he rarely felt – guilt.

And that in of itself made no sense to him. Maya had dumped him, why should he feel guilty? But he couldn't shake that thought. By the time he got back to the hotel, he felt like he was going stir crazy. So, he did the only thing he could think of and pulled out his cell phone.

"Codester?"

"_Zack? What's up?"_

"You got a minute?"

"_Yeah, sure. Bailey and I are about to watch a movie, and she's gone downstairs to pop us some popcorn." Cody paused. "Everything okay, Zack?"_

Zack sighed. "I don't know. I thought it was, but now I'm not sure." He proceeded to tell Cody about his night out and then the feeling of guilt he had.

"_Well, Zack...All I can tell you is that the head and the heart don't always see eye to eye. I remember my head telling me I had to move on from Bailey, but my heart would never let me. I'm just so thankful that my heart won out."_

"So, what do I do?"

"_Zack, I can't tell you that. Only you can decide what to do..."_

Zack sighed again. "Great. What I wouldn't do just to get away somewhere to think for a little while...a change of scenery."

_Cody paused. "Well, if you want, why don't you come down and visit us for Halloween weekend? Supposedly, there's a lot going on around here. Could be fun. And it would be a chance for you to see Tapeworm again."_

"That actually sounds pretty good."

_Cody laughed. "Tell you what, come early Saturday morning, and we'll take you the Commons for brunch."_

"Thanks, Cody. I appreciate this. I'll see you in a few weeks."

_New Haven_

As Cody was finishing up his phone call, Bailey came back into his room with a bag of popcorn. She opened the bag and sat back on his bed next to him.

"Your Mom?"

Cody shook his head. "Nah, it was actually Zack. He needed someone to vent to I think."

Bailey frowned. "Is he alright?"

He paused. "I'm not sure." He briefly explained to her what all Zack had said. "So, I couldn't really tell him anything, but I did invite him to come down for Halloween weekend. I think he could use the change of scenery for a day or two."

"I can see that. It still boggles my mind that he's taking himself out of the dating pool for a while. I didn't know he had that in him..."

Cody smiled at her. "Well, I think he's realizing that he can't get over Maya just like that..." He snapped his fingers. "...and I don't know if he wants to get over her yet. And I know how he's feeling. My heart would never let me get over you either."

She laid her head on his shoulder. "I know what you mean. The brain and the heart don't always see eye to eye. I'm just glad my heart won out..."

He let out a small chuckle. "I told him the exact same thing."

Bailey looked up at him and smiled. "Speaking of Halloween...we need to find costumes ourselves."

"Yeah, I guess we do. Any ideas?"

"Well, I know I want us to dress as a pair. Maybe a pair of lovers from history or literature?"

He grinned at her. "You sure about that? The last time we were both dressed up as a matching pair, you told me you felt sorry for my future wife..."

Bailey sighed. "That was my stubbornness speaking. I always knew your future wife would be a lucky woman because she would have someone completely devoted to her." She grinned. "Fortunately, I get to be that lucky woman."

He teased her. "You sure about that? I haven't asked you yet..."

"I'm positive." She teased him back. "Besides, I remember you telling Barbara that you were still looking for the perfect ring for me." She paused. "But I can go ahead and tell you, any ring you give me will be the perfect ring because its from you."

Cody leaned down and kissed her. "Want to know a secret?"

"Uh huh..."

"As soon as we got back from Kettlecorn, I started a new savings account to start saving up for it. I just wanted you to know that."

This time, she leaned up and kissed him. "And I just want you to know that I'll say yes when you finally do."

"I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled. "Now, back to Halloween costumes, do you trust me to pick something out for us?"

"Of course I do. I know you would never pick anything that would embarrass me." He grinned. "Because you would have to be seen with me all night in it."

Bailey laughed. "Well, you've got me there." She paused again. "Aside from costumes, are we really going to that one party? I know you've read about what that frat did and said on campus last year."

"I did read that, and I couldn't disagree with them more vehemently than I already do. But, we've also been told its THE Halloween party on campus. Its a tradition."

"I know, I'm just not sure I want to be around people who think like they do."

Cody smiled. "Tell you what. We'll go and make an appearance. If you are comfortable there, we'll leave and find something else to do. How does that sound?"

Bailey smiled back. "I think I can live with that."

_Boston_

Early on the morning of Saturday, October 29, Zack woke up early. And it really bothered him that waking up early was not bothering him any longer. But he had other things to deal with. He looked over at his bag already packed, and it dawned on him that he had pulled a 'Cody'. He shook his head and proceeded to the bathroom to get cleaned up. Once he was dressed, he was about to leave when his Mom woke up on the couch.

"You're leaving early..."

Zack shrugged. "Cody said if I got there early, he'd treat me to brunch." He smiled. "When have you ever known me to turn down a free meal?"

Carey laughed. "True. Well, you tell your brother and Bailey that I can wait to see them in a few weeks for Thanksgiving break."

"I won't. It'll be nice to have a nice home cooked meal for once around here..."

"Zack!"

He laughed. "I kid, I kid..."

She rolled her eyes. "Do you have a costume to take with you?"

He nodded and held up the sword he was taking with him. "I'm going to be Zack-orro!"

Carey laughed again. "Nice. I like it. Just don't try to carve your initial into anyone. Any idea what your brother and Bailey are going to be?"

"No clue, and neither does Cody. He just said Bailey had picked out a couples costume for them and that it was a surprise. I think he's getting a little worried now..."

_New Haven_

Zack took the directions Cody had sent him, and he found the visitor parking lot exactly where Cody said it would be. Taking the second map he had been sent, Zack made his way towards Lanman-Wright Hall. And as he walked, Zack got a good look around Yale's campus. And yes, there was indeed ivy hanging on the sides of the building, but the thing thing that surprised him the most were the people. They looked like normal people and not the pod of nerds Zack had imagined. He even admitted that some of the women were quite attractive. And once again, Zack began thinking he should have given college full time more than just a cursory thought. Arriving at LW, Zack pulled out his cell phone and told Cody he was there. Five minutes later, Cody arrived down in the lobby wearing a gray t-shirt with a large red 'BK' on it with the words 'Thunder Chickens' below it.

Zack just looked at his brother. "What are you wearing?"

Cody laughed. "We have a slight detour before brunch. Bailey and I are one of Berkeley's mixed doubles ping pong teams. We were supposed to have our match on Thursday night, but it got rescheduled to this morning. This is our Berkeley unofficial uniform."

Zack laughed too. "I should have known that if you did intramurals, that it would be something like ping pong..."

"Hey...We're freshmen. We had to win a in house tournament for our spot. Besides, I'm going to try hockey in the winter, Bailey is going to do softball in the spring, and we're thinking about trying out as a mixed doubles billiards team in the spring too."

Zack just shook his head. "Well, I'm proud that you are at least doing something. I figured you two would lock yourselves in the library and not do anything."

"We still make time to study..." Cody smiled. "...something that Mom tells me you are doing as well."

"Shhh! I have a reputation to maintain."

Cody laughed. "Alright. Come on up and see where Tapeworm and I lay our heads."

Zack followed Cody up to the next to top floor and down the hallway. And when Cody opened the door to his room, Zack followed him inside. Waiting there was Bailey in a shirt identical to Cody's sitting on Cody's bed looking like she was psyching herself up listening to her ipod while Tapeworm was sitting at his desk surfing the internet.

Zack grinned. "Never fear. I have returned to make all of your lives more interesting!"

Tapeworm laughed and got up to give his old friend a hug. "Long time, no see, Zack."

"Yeah, it has. Good to see you still alive, Man. For a long time, I was a little bit worried." He turned to see Bailey was still focused on something. "What is she doing?"

Cody grinned. "Pregame ritual. She does it before every one of our matches. She's hyping herself up by listening to 'Eye of the Tiger'. It works though as we're undefeated. And no one hassles us about it as ping pong was the only sport Berkeley won all of last year. They really want to repeat as champions."

Tapeworm laughed. "Oh, there's more. After every winner they hit, they kiss each other. Its a little superstitious, but its working..."

Zack just shook his head. "I feel sorry for you. You have to put up with them now."

He smiled. "Actually, I think its pretty cool. They have no problem showing how they feel about each other. I know what to look for for myself."

Zack sighed and whispered to himself. "I know what you mean..."

Soon, Bailey finished her ritual, and the four of them headed over to the school gym. And like they had in their dorm tournament, Cody and Bailey were a well oiled machine. The easily beat their opponents 21-7, 21-12. Overall, Berkeley College beat Morse College six matches to two to remain undefeated on the season. After it was over, they all headed back to the Berkeley dining hall for brunch. And Zack had to admit that the food was pretty good.

Cody finally looked at his brother. "Okay, Zack, truth time...what is the story with you and this Amanda girl exactly?"

Zack sighed. "No story there, Broseph. We're just friends...that's all. I've officially taken a break from dating for a while..."

Bailey turned to Cody. "Well, the Inca calendar said the world would end in 2012. Is this the first sign of the apocalypse?"

Cody laughed while Zack rolled his eyes. "Just because its easy for the two of you doesn't mean its that easy for the rest of us..."

Cody just looked at his brother again. "Easy for us? You were there last year on the boat. What part of all of that was easy?"

"Oh please. You two were mad at each other, but everyone knew you two were still in love with each other. Neither of you would listen when people tried to tell you that..."

This time Bailey just looked at him. "What are you talking about?"

"London, Addison, Woody and I all talked. It was obvious to us. Between Cody constantly calling out your name during his sleep and the little...shrine...he had built to you and you going a little crazy when you thought Woody's sister was going to take him away from you, we all knew."

Cody and Bailey turned to look at each other in confusion. At the same time, they both spoke. "What's he talking about?"

Both paused and spoke at the same time again. "I'll tell you later..."

Zack laughed. "My point is that you two were still drawn to each other. And in Kettlecorn, you two stopped acting stupid." He paused. "And honestly, I've always envied the bond you two have with each other..."

Cody was surprised. "But you always used to make fun of us..."

"So? I wanted the closeness you two had and the ease you had with each other. I know things weren't always perfect for you two, but at the end of the day, you two loved each other enough to overcome anything. I thought I had that with Maya..." He sighed. "I was wrong. Back to the drawing board, huh?"

Cody and Bailey turned to look at each other again. But neither one had any idea of what to tell him. Tapeworm noticed this and quickly changed the subject. And after brunch, they all took Zack on a tour of campus and showed him around. That evening, they all went out to a local campus pizzeria to grab dinner before heading out to experience the Yale Halloween experience. When they got back to LW, it was time to put on their costumes. Of course, Bailey had to go up to her room to get Cody's for him. And when she dropped it off to him, she just smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I know you'll look handsome in this..."

Bailey left to get changed herself, and whenCody opened up the bag, he saw what was inside. His eyes went wide.

"Is she serious?"

When he showed Zack and Tapeworm, both of them couldn't stop laughing.

Forty five minutes later, Bailey returned to Cody's room dressed in a medieval gown. And when she saw the guys, she had to laugh. Zack was Zorro, and Tapeworm was dressed like Captain America. And then there was her Cody...her Robin Hood. She couldn't help but smile.

"See...I told you that you would look handsome...Robin of Locksley."

Cody sighed. "Thanks...Maid Marian. At least you chose the one the more resembles the movies than the Disney version..."

Bailey couldn't help but laugh again. "Oh come on. I think you look great. And you already had the dark green ti..." She caught herself. "...compression pants. You actually inspired me to pick these costumes because you brought up the last time we dressed up."

Cody checked himself out in the mirror. "I guess I do look alright..." He paused and laughed. "I mean...it could have been worse. If you had my compression pants on your mind, you could have picked out Peter Pan..."

She grinned. "Actually, that thought did cross my mind..."

He grinned back. "And would that have made you my Tinker-Bails?"

Bailey laughed again. "Somehow, I knew you would end up calling me that. So, that's why I chose these instead..."

Cody shook his head. "Alright. Its All Hallow's Eve." He paused. "Well, close enough anyways. Lets go see what tonight has in store for us."

_To be Continued..._


	9. Heckraisers

_Episode 9_

_"Heckraisers"_

_I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did._

_Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them._

_Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves._

_And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so..._

__New Haven__

As Bailey, Cody, Zack and Tapeworm headed out of the dorm, they could see campus was crawling with all sorts of ghouls, goblins, superheroes and other kinds of costumes they weren't quite sure what they were supposed to be exactly. And everyone seemed to be headed in the same direction they were - to the infamous Mortician's Ball, the annual Halloween party hosted by one of the Yale's most notorious fraternities. Everyone on campus was invited and encouraged to attend, but at the same time, everyone was warned as to what to expect when they got there.

And when they got there, Zack turned to everyone else and grinned. "Alright, since Tapeworm and I are both swinging bachelors, he'll be my wing man as we go scope out the babes."

Cody paused. "I thought you had given up on women for the time being..."

Zack grinned. "Oh, I have. But, tomorrow, I head back home. So, I can get a little crazy tonight here in a place where I don't know anyone and will never see these people ever again. Besides, I need a night of just cutting loose and doing whatever to help me relax."

Cody and Bailey just looked at each other with unease. "Are you sure about that Zack? Maybe we should stick close to you just in case..."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm 18 years old now! I don't need babysitters! Besides, to be honest, my idea of fun is a whole lot different than the both of yours. For the two of you, going a little crazy was meeting after curfew or drinking soda after 9:30..."

Cody frowned. "Well, the caffeine keeps me up at nights..."

"Look...you two do your thing, and I'll do mine..."

"Well..."

Tapeworm spoke up. "Don't worry about it. I'll stick with Zack. Its been a while since we've gotten to hang out. It'll be fun."

Zack smirked at Cody and Bailey. "See? I'll be fine."

And with that, Zack grabbed Tapeworm's arm and began dragging him through the crowd. Finally, once they were far enough away, Zack stopped them.

"Thanks. I know those two try, but sometimes, they just don't get it." He grinned. "Besides, we're two single guys. Why shouldn't we be able to let off a little steam?"

Tapeworm paused. "Well...technically, I'm single..."

"What does that mean?"

He sighed. "I've kind of sort of met someone..."

Zack grinned again. "You old dog you! What's her name? Is she supposed to be here tonight?"

"Well...that's the thing. I don't know her name. I've only seen her around campus once. But from the moment I saw her..." He smiled.

Zack rolled his eyes. "Seriously? You honestly believe in that sort of thing?"

Tapeworm nodded. "Yeah...I do."

"Well, you don't know her yet and she doesn't know you yet, so you're still unattached. Dude, there are all kinds of ladies around here. Lets go have a good time!" He looked around. "Hey, look at that. Some kind of game with ping pong balls and cups. Lets go check it out."

Meanwhile, across the room, Cody still had a worried look on his face. Bailey noticed this and tried to comfort him.

"Are you okay, Sweetie?"

Cody sighed. "I don't know, Bails. I've never seen Zack like this before. I'm really worried about him."

She nodded. "I know...To be honest, I never thought I'd see him act like this either. It never dawned on me that he felt that strongly about Maya."

"He told me that he was in love with her, and then she ripped his heart right out of him. And the way she did it was rather cold and ruthless. She didn't even consider them having a long distance relationship."

"I wish I knew why, but I don't. Its not like she and I were the best of friends. You remember how we almost went at it when I got too wrapped up trying to be prom queen..."

Cody smiled at her. "I have every confidence you could have taken her."

Bailey smiled and laughed. "Thanks...I think."

"And its not like she really got to know anyone else all that well except Zack. I wasn't particularly close to her, and she was my brother's girlfriend. Maybe subconsciously I didn't expect it to last and kept my distance?"

"I couldn't blame you if you did. I mean...you've been around Zack your whole life. You've had a lifetime of evidence to support you thinking that way."

He sighed again. "But I can tell its still really tearing him apart. I wish I knew what to tell him, but I can't. I mean...I did my own share of stupid things when my heart was broken."

"We both did. But maybe we can serve as an example that things do get better?"

Cody nodded. "Yeah. You're right." He smiled at her. "Well, this is a party, and there is music playing. It may not be my cup of tea, but it does have a beat to dance to. So, would you like to dance?"

Bailey smiled. "I'd love to."

Across the room, Zack and his partner, a young lady dressed as a devil, were high fiving each other after winning another game. Tapeworm was getting a little concerned and pulled Zack aside.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Zack laughed. "Man, I haven't felt this good in a long time..."

"You don't think it might be because of that stuff that's in the cups?"

"Its just punch. No big deal. Now, I have to get back. We have a new team to destroy!"

Tapeworm sighed and stepped back against the wall. He was just shaking his head when he heard a voice.

"I take it your friend was about as receptive as my cousin was, huh?"

He turned and saw a shorter girl dressed as a cat. "Huh?"

She nodded over towards Zack's partner. "I tried to get her to slow down a little, but she ignored me too. She said it was just punch and to leave her be. I asked someone what else was in it, and she said it was something called pure grain."

"What's that?"

She shrugged. "I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure its alcoholic. So, I'm just waiting here to keep her from doing something stupid."

He sighed again. "I guess that makes two of us. I'm..."

She grinned. "I know...You're Captain America aka Steve Rogers..."

Tapeworm laughed. "Yeah, I guess I am...Now, are you just a regular cat or more of a Catwoman aka Selena Kyle?"

She laughed. "Well, either or I guess, but it would seem weird if a DC Comics character was hanging around a Marvel Comics character, wouldn't it?"

He just looked at her in surprise. "You know the difference?"

"Of course. Who doesn't?"

"Just a little surprised I guess. Never met a girl who did know the differnce."

She sighed. "I guess I can see that. I guess I'm not like most other girls."

Tapeworm smiled. "Don't worry about it. That's actually a good thing. Most other girls probably wouldn't be standing here talking to me."

She looked surprise. "Why not? You seem nice enough..."

"I guess because I'm not the most suave, outgoing type. This is actually my first on campus party I've been too. Usually, I just hang around my my roommate and his girlfriend." He nodded towards Zack. "Actually, my roommate is his brother, and I've known them for years. Probably why I'm at least comfortable with them, and my roommate's girlfriend is really cool too."

She sighed. "Lucky you then. This is my first party too. I was more than happy to stay in tonight, but my cousin came up and practically dragged me out. She forced me to buy a costume this afternoon. Usually, I stick to my room or the library. I don't even have a roommate...I have a room to myself."

Tapeworm smiled. "Well, we might not be having as much...fun...as our friends, but I'm having a good time..."

She smiled back. "Yeah. I am too."

Back across the room, Cody and Bailey had just finished another dance as both stopped to cool themselves off.

Cody wiped off his brow. "I can't believe how warm it is in here. I didn't realize how many people were here."

"Me either. We have to be well above the fire code capacity in here. And it is extremely warm in here. Its almost as hot as it was the last time we dressed up. I really envy you wearing those ti...compression pants right now..."

He laughed. "I don't know about all of that. If I sweat any more they may be permanently affixed to my legs, and I'll have to change my name to Kermit..."

Bailey laughed too. "Just don't think about calling me by the name of his girlfriend..."

He smiled. "I wouldn't think of it."

"Good. But I think some water would be good. I think I saw a big trough of bottled waters when we came in."

"Sounds good. Tell you what. I need to run to the men in tight's room and I'll meet you there in five minutes."

Bailey nodded, and she headed over to where the trough was. And when she got there, she noticed there was a line forming. Shrugging, she just got in line to wait her turn. When she was just about to the front of it, she was broken out of her thoughts by someone trying to shove a cup in her face.

"Here you go, Babe. I got you one so you didn't have to wait in line."

Bailey looked up to see someone dressed as a vampire. She shook her head. "No thank you."

The guy looked at her in surprise. "Why not? I bought it, so its free for you."

"Well, for one, I don't drink. I'm only eighteen and have three more years before I can do that legally."

He looked at her again. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am. Two, I read several books about what to expect at college. And one of the things they all said was to never accept an opened drink from a total stranger. You never know what they could have put in it."

The guy frowned. "You're joking right? You think I would drug you?"

Bailey shrugged. "I don't know. But, I don't know you, and even if I did drink, I'm not going to take the chance."

He paused. "Wow..." He then began grinning. "Well, you could get to know me. I'm not a bad guy."

She shook her head. "You may not be, but I'm here getting waters for myself and my BOYFRIEND."

"Ohh...boyfriend, huh? Is it serious?"

She smirked at him. "Extremely. And shame on you for that! You should respect other people's relationships. Besides, I've read all about the chants you had your pledges do around campus last year. You should really be ashamed of yourselves for that. No really does mean no! I'm just thankful I have a boyfriend who respects me and isn't crude like that!"

He held up his hands. "Okay, okay...Sheesh. Sorry I even came over..."

By the time he walked away, it was Bailey's turn in line. She got two bottles of water, and when she turned around, Cody was walking up with a smile on his face.

"Ahhh...water. Have any trouble getting them?"

Bailey shook her head. "Not really. I had some guy try to give me a beer and wouldn't buy a clue when I said no thanks. I had to essentially tell him to get to take a hike. And I remembered what I had read about this group last spring." She sighed. "I guess this is the first time I realized just how much different high school and college really are."

Cody nodded. "Yeah, it is. We're really on our own now, and we're legally adults. We don't have the protections built in like Moseby and Kirby we had the past three years." He smiled. "But as long as we have each other, I think we'll learn to adjust just fine and be alright."

She smiled back. "Yeah. You're right. Come on. Lets drink our water and get back on the dance floor. After tonight, we need to refocus on our studies. But for the rest of the night, I want to dance with my feller."

As the night went on, midnight came and went. Tapeworm was still talking to 'Cat'. And both of them were having a lot of fun getting to know each other. Well...they did until they heard the unmistakeable sound of someone throwing up. Both of their heads snapped around and saw Zack's partner hunched over with a pool of red liquid on the floor at her feet.

The Cat sighed. "I think that's my clue to take her back to my room. This looks like its going to be a long night..."

Tapeworm glanced over at Zack. His eyes were almost rolled to the back of his head. "I think you're right. I don't think my buddy is doing much better than your cousin with the exception of his upchuck factor." He sighed. "Its been nice meeting you..."

She smiled. "Don't forget, Steve...its Cat. Hopefully, I'll see you around campus sometime."

And with that, she was off to help her cousin. Tapeworm just watched her help the drunk girl walk out of the room. Suddenly, it dawned on him that he didn't know her real name or even what she really looked like under her mask. And she didn't know his or what he looked like under his either. He hung his head and groaned. Of course, he was broken out of that, when Zack grabbed his arm.

"Dude...I don't feel so well..."

Tapeworm sighed. "I can see. Come on. Lets get you some fresh air."

As they headed into another room, they saw Cody and Bailey out on the dance floor having a good time. Tapeworm figured he should let them know what was going on and practically dragged Zack over with him.

"Hey guys...I think I need to get Zack back to the dorm ASAP..."

Cody and Bailey both turned to him, and both saw how bad of a shape Zack was in. Cody sighed. "I think you're right. Let me help you get him out of here. He might pass out before you get him back to LW." He turned to Bailey. "Sorry, Sweetie."

She smiled at him. "Its okay. Its getting late anyways. And to be honest, I'm about ready to get out of this dress. I don't think I was meant for medieval England."

The several blocks back to the dorm ordinarily would take about ten minutes, but with Zack being in bad shape, it took them almost thirty minutes. Getting him up the stairs wasn't easy either. And when they did get him up to Cody and Tapeworm's room, Zack said he needed to go to the bathroom. Cody sighed and said he would take him.

Ten minutes later, they got back to Cody's room, and Zack couldn't stop laughing. And Cody didn't look happy at all.

"Awww...come on, Codester! Its a little funny. I mean, I threw up on your shoes. I was owed that for what I did for you that day you lived over and over and over and over and over..." Zack stopped and hiccuped. "I need to lay down..."

And before anyone could do or say anything, Zack stumbled over to Cody's bed and passed out on it. Within seconds, he was snoring away.

Cody sighed. "Well, this night ended with a real bang..."

Bailey looked down. "Looks like he got your shoes good."

Cody nodded. "I guess I'll have to send them out to get cleaned tomorrow..." He sighed again. "I'll be right back. I need to go try to wash them off as best as I can before the stain sets in..."

He left the room, and Bailey and Tapeworm both just looked at Zack and shook their heads.

"He's going to feel this in the morning..."

Tapeworm nodded. "Yeah, he will." He paused. "So will Cody. Looks like he's sleeping on the floor tonight."

Bailey's eyes went wide as she realized that was true. "Yeah, he will. His back is very sensitive, and the floor will be brutal on it." Of course, what Zack had said before he passed out kept crossing her mind as well.

A few minutes later, Cody came back into the room holding his shoes which were now wet and somewhat cleaned up. "Well, that was fun. I think I'm going to get out of these tights, grab a shower and..." He paused and sighed. "...pull up some floor. I hope Zack doesn't get sick in the middle of the night and throw up all over me..."

Bailey paused and spoke up. "You don't have to sleep on the floor if you don't want to..."

Cody had a sad laugh. "Well, my other option is to sleep on one of the couches in one of the common rooms. Unfortunately, there are others who will be as bad off as Zack tonight. Not sure I'm willing to take the chance of them doing something to me while I sleep."

"There is a third option...Use the free bed in my room."

Cody turned to her. "Huh?"

She smiled. "There are four of us and four beds. Zack's not going anywhere for several hours. Besides, you remember how I slept on your shoulder on the flight back to Kettlecorn?"

He nodded. "Well, yeah..."

"I don't see anything different with this. In fact, you'll be in the bed across the room. Come on, Sweetie. We both know you'll be a lot more comfortable up there than on the floor..."

Cody paused. "Well...are you sure, Bails?"

Bailey smiled at him. "I'm sure. Just give me time to grab a shower too..."

"Okay. Thirty minutes?"

She kissed his cheek. "See you then, Cody."

Bailey headed out. Cody turned to find Tapeworm grinning at him. "What?"

He held up his hands. "I didn't say a word..."

Thirty minutes later, Cody had showered and come back to his room to change into pajama pants and a t-shirt. Going to his closet, he pulled out a couple of blankets and a pillow. Once he had those gathered, he grabbed the trash can, put a plastic bag in it and placed it next to his bed in case Zack needed it in the middle of the night. With that done, his bid Tapeworm a goodnight, grabbed his extra bedding and headed up to Bailey's room. After knocking on the door, she opened it up. Like Cody, she was freshly showered and in her pajamas.

"Are you really sure about this, Bails? I have no problem sleeping on the floor in my room."

She smiled. "Of course I am. I mean...we will be married some day, so we should get used to sleeping in the same room at some point."

He laughed. "True." He paused and kept laughing. "I know what I said earlier about college being different, but I keep waiting for Moseby or Kirby to knock on the door and bust us for doing this..."

Bailey laughed too. "True. Our past record hasn't been good with being caught by Kirby and the hall monitor from heck..."

"Tell me about it. One, I didn't even get to kiss you, and the other..." He grinned. "...well, we we're interrupted way too soon."

She laughed again. "I know exactly what you mean. But, we're mature adults now. Sleeping in the same room is no big deal."

"I know. And I respect you way too much to try to make it more than that..."

She smiled. "I know you do." She walked over and kissed him. "I know you're one of the good guys. And I know how much you love me. Trust me. We'll know when the time is right for us to take our relationship to the next level."

He smiled back. "Yeah, we will." He kissed her back. "Alright. We've both had a long day. You have to be as exhausted as I am."

Bailey yawned. "You can say that again. But think about it Cody. Come reading week and finals, this will be good. We can study here and when we get tired, we can just crash without having to leave the room. We can study in our pjs and be comfortable all the while."

"Sounds good to me..." He yawned too. "I'm glad we have a whole year before we have to deal with this Halloween madness again." He paused and grinned. "Next year, I pick out our costumes."

"Oh yeah? Any ideas already?"

"Well, by then, William and Kate will probably be passe. So, that's out." He smiled. "How about Han Solo and Princess Leia? In particular, I'm thinking of when they were with Jabba the hut in Return of the Jedi..."

Bailey just looked at him. "Cody, I know we're tired and its bedtime, but you are already dreaming!"

Cody laughed. "Okay, that's out too. Hmmm. You could pull off Flo the insurance lady, but I'm not sure what I could wear to match it."

She yawned again. "We have a whole year to worry about it. Its time to get some sleep."

Cody unfolded one of the blankets on the spare bed, and then unfolded the other and put down his pillow. As he did that, Bailey climbed into bed.

"Should I get the lights?"

She shook her head. "No need. Get in bed, and I'll show you."

Cody complied. Bailey then clapped her hands and the lights went off. Cody couldn't help but laugh.

"Wow..." He paused. "Though, I think I'll refrain from telling people my girlfriend has the clapper. They might get the wrong idea."

Bailey laughed. "I would appreciate that. Daddy bought it for me. He got one himself and loved it. Its actually very practical."

Cody paused and then slipped out of bed. He knelt beside Bailey's bed and leaned down and kissed her again. "I just wanted to make sure I gave you a proper kiss goodnight."

"Well, you just did..." She smiled. "I love you."

"Love you too." He smiled. "And if I snore during the night, just throw something at me."

"Don't worry...I will." She paused. "Will I hear you call out my name in your sleep?"

Cody laughed. "I don't think so. I guess it slipped my mind that Zack said that to us earlier."

"Want to tell me about it?"

"Sure. Seems I had nightmares about us being apart. While my conscious mind was still being stubborn, my subconscious mind knew well and good how much you meant to me..."

"Do you still have dreams about me?"

He smiled. "Yeah, I do. But they're a whole lot better now. And you want to hear the best part?"

"What's that?"

"No matter how good they are, they pale in comparison to when I wake up and really get to be with you."

She smiled. "I like the sound of that."

"How about you? What was that thing about you going crazy about Woody's sister?"

Bailey sighed. She scooted over and patted for Cody to sit down. He complied and she began. "Well, my conscious mind was being stubborn too, but when I saw you with Willa, it put the fear into me that I could really lose you. I guess part of me stupidly thought you would be there if I wanted you back. But when I saw someone else realize how wonderful you are, I freaked out. The thought of how much you meant to me was finally able to break through my defenses. London's 'twin' convinced me I should go win you back. She was the reason I was dressed like that. She said every guy wants something new now and then..." She paused. "And I remembered you saying the same thing when you were teaching home economics..."

Cody just looked at her. "Seriously?"

She nodded. "Yeah..."

He just shook his head and began laughing. "Wow...that is so ironic."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know why I was initially drawn to Willa in the first place?"

Bailey shook her head. "No..."

Cody smiled. "Because, at first, she reminded me of you. I guess if I couldn't have the one I wanted, I was trying to get the next closest thing."

"Really? When I stopped by your table, you barely acknowledged I was there..."

He laughed again. "Because I was trying to keep from throwing up. First, she broke wind and cleared out the skydeck. Then she plopped her foot up on the table to scratch her athlete's foot. Then she attacked her ribs like a pack of hyenas and flung barbecue sauce at me."

She laughed too. "Are you serious? No wonder you were about to throw up."

"Yeah. I learned quickly that she didn't remind me of you any longer. She reminded me of Woody. In fact, it was almost as if I could see him sitting across the table from me. I knew right then that it had been a horrible mistake, and I needed a way out of it. I saw you there, and that's when I said I wasn't over you. I wanted to let her down as easy as possible. I felt bad about dragging you into it..."

Bailey shook her head. "How stupid were we? I thought I needed to change to get you back when you wanted me the whole time."

He smiled at her. "If it helps, I learned something very important. I learned there is only one you, and no one could ever come close. And Bails, when I said that when I was teaching home economics, I was talking about food. I love you just the way you are. I just want you to be you, and you is all I will ever want."

"Thank you, Sweetie. I feel the same way about you. I just wish I had had the courage to tell you then that I wanted you back. You did at the chocolate factory, but I couldn't scrounge up the courage." She sighed. "I never want us to be that stupid again."

"We won't be. Now, how about we leave the past in the past where it belongs. Lets focus on the present and the future and make them the best that we can..."

Bailey smiled. "Sounds good to me." She leaned up and kissed him again. "Cody, you are my present and future."

"As you are mine. Now, you ready to put all of that to bed...and us to bed at the same time?"

"Yeah, I think so..." She paused. "Actually, I do have one final question."

"What's that?"

"What did Zack mean about you living the same day over and over again?"

__To be Continued...__


	10. The Life Sized Teddy Bear

_Episode 10_

__"The Life Sized Teddy Bear"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__New Haven__

Cody just looked at Bailey and sighed. "The day I lived over and over again?"

She nodded. "Yeah. What was Zack talking about?"

"You sure you want to hear about this? I mean...its a really long story, and its getting very late..."

Bailey gave him a look. "Cody...No more keeping things from each other, remember?"

Cody sighed again and nodded. "You're right. You remember when I told you that the day of the dance as we crossed the international dateline was the longest day of my life?"

She nodded. "Uh huh..."

"Well...I didn't tell you the whole story. To be honest, I didn't know if you would believe me. In fact, I lived it and have trouble believing it really happened myself."

"Just tell me everything and I'll decide what I believe then..."

"Alright. It all started when..." And Cody proceeded to tell Bailey everything that he remembered from that day or rather eighty-seven versions of the same day. "...and I finally got out of the temporal loop when I slowed the ship down so it wouldn't get struck by lightening."

Bailey just looked at him with her eyes open wide and her mouth open in shock. "Are you serious?"

Cody just nodded. "Yeah. I told you it was hard to believe."

She paused to think and then began shaking her head. "So, let me get this straight. You learned how to dance just so you could try to sweep me off my feet?"

He nodded again. "Yeah..."

"And the closest you got was a few millimeters from kissing me when the ship was struck by lightening again?"

"Yeah..."

"And that's what Zack meant about it being funny that he threw up on your shoes because he was responsible for me getting my shoes thrown up on?"

"Yeah. I guess I mentioned to him that the shrimp was bad, and then he did that all on his own."

Bailey paused to collect her thoughts. "Cody...that's...that's..." She smiled. "...that's the most romantic thing I've ever heard. I can't believe you did all of that just for me."

Cody smiled in relief. "Bails, I'd do anything for you."

Bailey grabbed his hand. "I know you would. And I know those just aren't words. If that didn't prove it to me, what you did when I got possessed or when you thought I was in trouble in Kettlecorn would."

"No, they're not." He stifled a yawn. "Its really late now, and I think we need to get some sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow and big three week stretch in front of us before Thanksgiving break."

"Yeah, we do." She leaned up and kissed. "Goodnight, Sweetie. I hope you have sweet dreams. I know I definitely will."

The next morning, after Cody and Bailey woke up, Cody headed downstairs to shower up and get Zack moving too. Walking into his room, he changed into his robe before shaking Zack awake.

"Time to get up. You probably want to get on the road and back to Boston early."

Zack grunted and slowly rolled out of bed. Cody and Tapeworm weren't sure he was going to get up off the floor, but he eventually did. An hour later, the four of them were having breakfast over in the Berkeley dining hall.

Zack just shook his head. "What happened last night? I don't remember anything..."

Tapeworm laughed. "I'm not surprised. You and your partner were world beaters in beer pong...though the cups were filled with some kind of punch."

"I don't remember any of that. I remember nothing about my teammate at all except that I think she was in red." He paused. "Wait a minute..." He turned to his friend. "I seem to remember you talking to a cat. Did I dream that?"

"Nah. She was the cousin of your teammate. We were having fun watching you two make idiots of yourselves."

Bailey grinned and teased him. "Oh really? What would the girl of your dreams think?"

Tapeworm shrugged. "Zack told me that until I met her again, I was single. Besides, I didn't even get her name beyond 'Cat' or Selena after Catwoman."

Cody laughed. "Dude...you not getting a girl's name is turning into a bad habit..."

Tapeworm sighed. "I know, I know..."

Zack smirked and spoke up. "Speaking of habits, Broseph...how long have you and Bailey been shacking up together up in her single room?"

Cody smirked back. "I'll have you know last night was the first time."

Bailey smirked too. "And we slept in separate beds too, so its not a big deal..."

Zack laughed. "You might not think so, but I bet Mom would freak out about it..."

Cody paused and smiled. "She might...but after I told her I did so only after you got blitzed out of your gourd at a frat party and passed out on my bed, I'm pretty sure her focus would be elsewhere..."

Zack stopped laughing and frowned. "You wouldn't!"

"I won't if you won't..."

Zack just glared at his brother. "Fine. College has changed you!"

Cody laughed. "Oh please. Like it hasn't changed you too...last night notwithstanding."

Soon after, Zack packed up and headed back to Boston so he could do what he needed to get done for the next day. And when he got there, Carey had asked him how Halloween weekend at Yale was.

"Oh you know...rather boring actually. You know that nerds don't know how to have any kind of real fun..."

_Boston_

The next three weeks were busy ones for everyone. In Boston, Zack had exams in economics, psychology and math and another English paper due. And despite his vow to stay away from women, he and Amanda continued hanging out as friends and studying together. When he told her the truth about what had happened in New Haven...or what he could remember of it, she about fell out of her chair laughing so hard.

"You seriously don't remember much of what happened?"

Zack shook his head. "Not really. I guess with working and going to school, I was ready for a night just to be stupid..."

She kept laughing. "Looks like mission accomplished..."

"Tell me about it. I felt like crap that whole day Sunday. I guess I learned that hangovers are not fun. I have no desire to do anything like that again anytime soon."

"Good idea. At least until our break."

And Zack was more than ready to have Thanksgiving break off from school. Unfortunately, Moseby was only going to give him from Wednesday through Friday off at work. While he wasn't happy about that, it was better than nothing.

_New Haven_

The next three weeks moved rapidly in New Haven too. During that time, Cody and Bailey had another exam in MATH 120 and another paper in PHIL 178 due the week before Thanksgiving break. Of course, both were ready for both of them, and the weekend before their break finally arrived. They had discussed when to head back to Boston, and decided to head back on Monday morning to avoid as much traffic as possible. That also gave them the chance to go to the Yale-Harvard football game on campus on Saturday and have a date night that night.

As they walked out of the Yale Bowl, Bailey was really excited to celebrate the Bulldogs' upset victory over the favored Crimson. Cody was more low key though. She turned to him a little confused.

"I figured you'd be more excited about beating Harvard than anyone after how unfair the President of Harvard was to you."

He smiled at her. "Oh, I'm happy Yale won, but I'm not ready to run Harvard into the ground just yet. I mean...its medical school is the top ranked one in the country. If we had the opportunity to go there, I don't see how we could turn it down. I don't want us to burn any bridges...or more than I already have."

She nodded. "I see what you mean." She smiled. "We can enjoy our win for now. If in four years, we have divided loyalties, we'll worry about it then."

After the game ended, it seemed like campus emptied out. Most people headed home for break including Tapeworm. Saturday night, Cody and Bailey did their date night and went out for dinner and a movie. On Sunday, they did all of their homework and lab reports due the week they got back. That way, they would only take take their CHEM 118 stuff back to Boston with them to study for the exam they had the week they got back. And with the dorm practically empty, they did their laundry while they did their physics homework. On Sunday night, they decided to just take it easy. They watched TV in Cody's room and ordered in a pizza. A night of lounging around is just what they needed.

And both of them must have been more tired than they realized. They had been watching a movie while laying together on Cody's bed when the next thing they realized, Cody's alarm was going off. Both woke up groggily and just looked at the other.

"Hey..."

"Hey yourself...I think we fell asleep during the movie."

Cody rubbed his eyes trying to wake up. "I think you're right." He paused. "Ummm...Bails...I..."

Bailey stretched and yawned. "I know. I didn't either. It just happened. Nothing for either of us to feel bad about."

He nodded. "Yeah." He paused and began laughing. "Well, I guess we've proven we can sleep in the same bed together peacefully if accidentally."

Bailey laughed too. "I guess so." She paused. "You're not freaking out about this..."

"Neither are you..."

"No...For some reason, there's nothing to freak out about. It actually felt perfectly natural even though it was the first time it happened."

He shook his head. "I wouldn't say the first time. Its no different than us sleeping next to each other on the plane except we were horizontal instead of reclining. Besides, we're adults now. What we do is nobody's business but our own."

She smiled back at him. "You're right. Besides, I have to admit...waking up next to you is a whole lot better than just waking up next to your picture."

Cody smiled back. "I completely agree." He paused. "So...how did you sleep?"

"I slept great. I was like I had my own life sized teddy bear to snuggle with all night."

Cody just gave her a look. "Trying to tell me I'm gaining my freshman fifteen?"

She laughed again. "No, nothing like that. I'm just saying I slept really well. How about you?"

He paused and smiled. "Slept like a baby. Which is kind of surprising to me. I don't think these beds were intended for two people to sleep on them comfortably." He grinned. "Good thing we don't mind cozy quarters..."

Bailey grinned back. "No, we certainly don't. So, in the future...?"

"In the future, I think I could definitely get used to this. Though, I wouldn't want to make Tapeworm uncomfortable when he is here."

She nodded. "Agreed. This is his room as much as yours." She grinned again. "But I do have a room currently all to myself..."

"I love the way you think. And as much as I'm loving this, we should probably get cleaned up and on the road back to Boston." He teased her. "Do you want me to tell my Mom that we were late getting back because we didn't want to get out of bed together?"

Bailey laughed. "Good point. We're already packed. Lets get moving." She grinned. "But I can see wanting a nap later on with my new sleep buddy. I don't think anyone would begrudge us that."

Cody just shook his head and laughed. "I think we can get away with that during the day. At night, I don't think we have any chance in hell of pulling that off..."

Both finally got and moving, and forty five minutes later, both were dressed with their bags and backpacks slung over their shoulders. After about a twenty minute walk across campus, they got to the parking garage their car was parked in. After loading up the trunk, Cody held up the keys.

"You want to drive?"

Bailey grinned. "You know I do!"

Cody grinned back. "Have at it then..."

She grabbed the keys and paused. "I'll drive us to just outside of Boston. But I'll let you get us the rest of the way into the city. You have more experience driving there than I do. And while you're doing that, I can call London to make sure I have a key to the penthouse waiting for me."

_Boston_

About noon, Carey Martin was sitting on the couch in the suite on the 23rd floor reading a magazine. When the door opened up, she smiled as she saw her youngest son and his girlfriend pulling their bags inside. Immediately, she got up to hug them both.

"Its about time you both got back to Boston. I was beginning to think you two had forgotten the way back here."

Bailey smiled. "Sorry, Carey. We've been extremely busy keeping up with our academic pursuits. After all of that, we both decided to sleep in this morning a little..."

Cody just gave Bailey a look, but Carey didn't notice. Instead, she just smiled. "Well, I can't begrudge you that. How are classes going?"

"Going great, Mom. If we may say..." He laughed. "Venimus, vidimus, et dominatus!"

Bailey high fived him. "Darn right we did!"

Carey looked at them both in confusion. "Huh?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom. I said...we came, we saw, we dominated..."

She nodded. "Oh..." She smiled. "Good for you both then."

"In fact, Carey, we spent all day yesterday doing our homework so we wouldn't have to bring it with us. All we brought with us was our notes and materials from chemistry. We have a test when we get back next week."

"Okay, well, I want you to take it easy as much as you can while you're here. Bailey, you are our guest again. Speaking of which, I take it London isn't back yet?"

Bailey shook her head. "Not until Wednesday, but Esteban gave me a key downstairs. I'll take my stuff up later."

Carey frowned. "Will you be okay up there all by yourself?"

Cody got a sudden idea and spoke up. "Why don't I sleep on the couch up there just in case? You're right, Mom. Bailey is our guest and really shouldn't be up there all by herself..."

Carey paused again and then shrugged. "Why not? I know I can trust you two. I mean...you two aren't Zack..." Carey went over to her purse. "Speaking of London, she dropped by some cash and a menu she wants for Thursday..."

Cody looked at the menu and began laughing. "She's joking, right? Its Thanksgiving...we're not having fried chicken!"

For the rest of the afternoon, Cody and Bailey just hung out with Carey until it was time for her to get ready to head to her rehearsal. They took that time to take their things up to London's penthouse and get themselves settled in. And one of the first things Cody did was put a sheet and a blanket down on London's couch. This caught Bailey off guard.

"I kind of thought after last night and this morning that...you know..."

Cody grinned at her. "I had the same exact thought, and that's why I volunteered to sleep on the couch. But knowing my Mom, she's going to check in on us before she goes to bed. If she sees this already made up, she'll think its where I'm really going to sleep."

Bailey laughed. "Very devious, Cody. Something about this hotel must bring out your inner hooligan...Good thinking."

"You don't think I grew up with Zack and didn't learn a few tricks, did you?"

She just shook her head. "Fair enough. Okay, no offense to the dining halls, but I've been craving one of your home cooked meals since we were last in Boston."

He grinned again. "I guess I'm cooking then...Alright, but come Wednesday, you're going to be my sous chef."

She leaned in and kissed him. "I'd love to."

When they got back down to the 23rd floor, Carey was gone to her rehearsal, but Zack was sitting on the couch. And when he saw them come in, he just glared at them.

"Mom told me all about Cody crashing up on the couch in the penthouse for a few days. One, I don't believe that's where he'll be sleeping in the least! Two, how in the world did you get her to agree to that? She NEVER would have let me do that with a girl!"

Cody laughed. "I think you just answered your own question."

Zack continued to grumble. "You're lucky I can't say anything to her because of the dirt you have on me..." He sighed. "At least I get a decent meal for a change."

Cody turned to Bailey. "Wow...now two people putting the pressure on me. I guess I should get cooking then." And with that, he got out the apron Bailey got him for his birthday. When Zack saw it, he just started laughing.

"Where in the world did you get that ridiculous thing?"

Bailey glared at him. "I got it for Cody for his birthday." She turned and pulled Cody down into a lingering kiss. When she was done, she turned and smirked at Zack. "And its 100% true!"

Cody just smiled and shrugged. "Who am I to argue?"

Zack rolled his eyes. "Ha ha...And let me guess, while I'll be slaving away at work tomorrow, you two will be hanging around here doing nothing, right?"

"Actually, we've already decided. Tomorrow morning, we're going to do some studying, and then tomorrow afternoon, we're hitting the supermarket to buy everything for Thursday."

He still just looked at them. "Awww...lucky you. I'll gladly trade places with you both."

Bailey was about to say something when Cody squeezed her hand. He then spoke. "Alright, Zack...we'll trade places with you. But, you have to spend all tomorrow morning studying chemistry, get everything we put on the shopping list, spend all day Wednesday preparing everything AND then be up at 5 AM on Thursday to cook the big meal..."

Zack cringed. "No thanks. I'd rather work now and then sleep in and wake up in time for the Packers and Lions than do all of that. Football is all I have now. Ever since the Sox choked and began falling apart. Then Francona resigned, and Theo bolted from the Cubs. I swear...its like someone cursed us all over again."

Cody's eyes went wide as Bailey couldn't help but to bust out laughing.

That evening, they just hung around the suite doing nothing. Without homework to do, all three of them felt kind of lost. For Zack, it was a weird feeling that he knew he would never get used to. For Cody and Bailey, both felt like they should be more productive somehow. But both realized that a night of doing nothing was probably good for them every so often.

Once Carey returned back from her show, they four of them hung out before it was time for bed. And when it was, Cody and Bailey left to head upstairs with Zack smirking at them as they headed out. Once they got up to the penthouse, both kind of paused and looked at each other. Finally, Bailey started laughing again.

"Why does this seem so strange? It happened last night, and we said it wasn't a big deal..."

Cody nodded. "Yeah, but I think that was because we didn't plan it. It just happened. Tonight, we're actually intending for it to happen. We can't deny culpability this time. Plus, last night, we were all alone about three hours away. Tonight, my mother is a few floors down..."

Bailey paused. "Do you not want to now?"

"Oh, I definitely do, its just..."

"Just what?"

Before Cody could say anything, there was a knock on the door. Cody went over to answer it. And it was Carey checking on them one last time. Seeing the couch made up, she smiled to herself and bid them both a goodnight before heading back downstairs.

Cody smiled. "I was waiting for that to happen..."

Bailey laughed. "I see that now."

Without saying anything else, he walked back over to lock and chain the door. Returning back, he took Bailey's hand in his.

"I'm kind of tired. Aren't you?"

She just smiled at him. "Positively exhausted. I can't wait to snuggle with my life sized Cody Bear again..."

He just laughed. "First a kitten and now a bear. Could be worse I guess..."

The next morning, as Zack was leaving for work, Cody and Bailey headed down to the 23rd floor with their backpacks. Both figured that studying around Carey would be a good idea as she wouldn't constantly be checking in on them. By one that afternoon, they put away their books after they felt they had a firm grasp on all the information. Grabbing the grocery list Cody made out, they headed out to grab lunch and hit the grocery store.

And as large supermarkets are not the norm in downtown Boston, they had to head to the suburbs to find a mega store that would have everything they needed. For Bailey, it was an educational experience grocery shopping for the first time with Cody. Hitting the local convenience store or the local Wal-Mart to get supplies had in no way prepared her for this. He took his time making sure he picked the freshest, firmest or ripest of fruits and vegetable. And she continued to watch in fascination as Cody would compare and contrast every item on their list making sure he got the best value for the money. As they were checking out, Bailey finally spoke up.

"I must say. Grocery shopping with you has certainly been an experience..."

Cody paused and blushed. "Oh...Sorry about that. Chef Paulo used to take me to the local farmer's market and taught me how to find the best of the best. I just wanted to make sure the meal was as good as possible."

Bailey smiled. "And it will be. I guess I've learned to let you do the grocery shopping for us in the future."

He laughed. "I don't know about all of that. I've enjoyed doing this with you."

"Yeah?"

"Of course. I enjoy doing just about anything with you."

"Just about?"

He smiled. "No offense, Bails, but even if we were side by side, both of us having a root canal together would not be fun for me..."

Bailey just laughed. "Point taken."

Once back at the Tipton, they put away everything in the refrigeration in London's penthouse because it was bigger and Zack wouldn't be tempted to raid it in the middle of the night. And Carey completely understood and endorsed that idea. That night, after bidding Zack and Carey goodnight, they headed back up to the penthouse. But neither were tired yet, so they laid down on the couch together to watch a movie. And once again, Carey checked up on them before she turned in for the night. Well, the movie must have been another boring one as both fell asleep again on the couch.

About two in the morning, both were woken up by the door to the penthouse unlocking and opening up. They had just enough time to look up and see London holding Ivana and smiling at them.

"Well, well...what do we have here?"

_To be Continued..._


	11. Paybacks and Pay Forwards

_Episode 11_

__"Paybacks and Pay Forwards "__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

London just kept smiling at them, waiting for Cody and Bailey to say something or come up with some sort of lame excuse. And to their credit, they just looked at each other as if trying to figure out what they could say to get out of the situation they found themselves in. Unable to come up with anything, Bailey finally spoke.

"Ummm...London...we didn't expect you back until tomorrow or rather this afternoon."

London laughed. "I can see that." She just shook her head. "I always heard it was the good ones you had to keep your eyes on..."

That caused Cody to speak. "There was nothing like that going on here! For the past couple of nights, I've been staying up here so Bailey wouldn't be all alone in your penthouse. We just happened to fall asleep while watching some TV..."

London just looked back and forth between the two of them and began laughing again. "Oh, settle down. I could care less if you two fall asleep on the couch or in the guest room together. I know you two love each other and are going to get married someday. I know that despite his pasty skin and how boring Cody is, Bailey loves him. And I know that despite how hideous her clothes are and how dull she is, Cody loves her too." She grinned. "Besides, I have my own relationship now too. Do you two care what I do in it?"

"You have your own relationship now too?"

"Quit trying to avoid the question, Cody..."

Cody paused. "Well...no. At least as long as whoever this is is treating you right."

London grinned. "Oh, he does. He always has. In fact, he's going to be coming with me as my date for Thanksgiving."

Bailey frowned. "Always has? Do we know this person?"

London grinned again. "Guess you'll have to find out on Thursday. Until that time though, if you two are seriously going to wear pajamas like that, stay in the guest room. You'll give Ivana and I nightmares..." She shrugged and looked at Bailey. "At least you've lost the head gear..."

Bailey sighed in relief. "You really don't mind, London?"

She shook her head. "Not in the least. Besides, I should probably get you your own key for this summer. You're going to need it."

Bailey smiled. "Well, I do plan on visiting as often as I can, but that's no reason for me to have my own key. I appreciate the offer though."

London just looked at her in confusion. "Huh?" And then her eyes went wide. "Oh...that's right! I haven't told you that other part yet."

"What other part?"

"Well, this summer, you're both going to be working at the Tipton Clinic over near Fenway..."

This time, it was Cody and Bailey's eyes that went wide and their mouths fell open in shock. "Huh?"

She shrugged. "Well, Daddy wants to make sure you two are well taken care of..."

Cody's head was spinning. "Taken care of? I thought he would be upset at us for essentially blackmailing him for a second time..."

London laughed. "Not really. More impressed actually. He respects that you both did what you had to do to get what you wanted. Plus, there is the fact that you two are actually making him money..."

This time, Bailey spoke up. "How are we doing that? I would say as a charitable tax deduction, but you've said you aren't American for tax reasons..."

London shrugged. "I didn't bother to ask how. That's just what he said. He just said that by paying for you to go to Yale that he was actually making double what he was paying out. I let his accountants handle all of the number crunching..."

Cody and Bailey just looked at each other trying to take in everything that London said. Bailey sighed. "London, I appreciate the offer, but I can't stay here this summer. I mean...I'd love nothing more than that, but I should spend time at home. I mean...I've been away from my family for so long, and the summers are the only time I have to see them."

London rolled her eyes. "You'll get to go home at least once a month. Besides, Daddy's private doctor at the clinic said working there would look really good on your medical school applications."

Cody turned to Bailey. "That is a good point. Work experience in the medical field is a major factor for schools when it comes to making decisions. And the Tipton Clinic is highly regarded. Its almost on par with the Mayo Clinic. Working there would look really, really, really good on our resumes."

Bailey nodded. "That's true..." She paused. "Can you us some time to think about it? I should talk it over with my family first. I would want them to be on board with any decision I make."

"Yeah, that's fine. I know you're going home for Christmas, so you can talk to them then. Just let me know by Moseby's wedding."

Bailey smiled at her. "Thank you, London. This all has been so generous of you. You're a great friend."

London smiled. "I know." She clapped. "Yay me!" When she stopped, she looked at them again. "Though, in exchange for rent, I will have small jobs for the both of you to do..."

Cody spoke up. "Just name them."

Bailey turned to Cody. "Are you sure? You shouldn't have to do something just so I have a place to stay if I do decide to do this..."

He grinned. "If it means getting to spend my summer with you, I'll do anything. Besides, nothing can be as bad as being a towel boy was..."

She smiled back. "Thanks, Cody Bear..." Bailey turned back to London. "Okay, what are these small jobs?"

London grinned. "Easy. At nights, Bailey, you will be Ivana's personal dog walker. In addition to that, I have several months of insults built up. I need you around so I can get them out of my system. Taping them and sending them to you just isn't the same. I like to see the look on your face when I dish them out."

Bailey laughed. "Deal. I've kind of missed them too."

"And Cody?" She grinned. "With Woody now gone, you're old job has opened up again..."

And that's when it dawned on him what she wanted. Cody turned to look at Bailey. He just smiled. "Consider it done. I've actually missed producing Yay Me! some."

London clapped her hands again. "Excellent! Okay, Ivana and I are going to bed now. And please...use the guest room. I don't want to see those hideous pajamas to be the first things I see when I wake up." As she left the room, she muttered to herself. "I think my magic mirror was wrong. They way those two are going, it won't be nine more years before they get married..."

Cody and Bailey overheard her and just looked at each other. "What did she just say?"

_The Offices of London Inns, Inc._

The next morning, it was business as usual at London Inns, Inc. As it was the day before the holiday break, Moseby had relented and allowed it to be a casual Wednesday. And that morning, Moseby found himself sitting in his office with London.

"So, how are things going around here now?"

Moseby smiled. "Like a well oiled machine. Everything is now running smoothly."

"Good. And how is Zack doing handling working and going to school at the same time?"

Moseby paused. "Actually...better than I expected. He's usually here within fifteen minutes of when he's supposed to be, and he's doing everything that I ask. And I have to admit, with him having experience living as a guest of a hotel, he has ideas that I never would have considered."

She grinned. "Excellent. And how is he doing with his studies?"

"Well, finals aren't over yet, but according to all of his professors, he at least has solid B's in everything. I'm actually quite proud of him. I knew he had potential, I just never thought I'd see it come out so soon."

"Good, good. If he keeps that up, part B of my plan should be easy..."

Moseby just looked at her. "I agree that its a good idea in theory, but how exactly are you going to pull that part of it off?"

London laughed. "Oh, come on, Moseby. I'm a Tipton. All I have to do is make a phone call, and it will happen. I just had to make sure Zack would do his part first. And it looks like he is..."

He just shook his head and smiled. "I have to say, London. I extremely proud of you the way you're looking out for your friends..."

She paused. "Well, I had to learn that if I don't care about the people who care about me, I might lose them one day..."

"And just how did you learn that exactly?"

"You remember last Christmas?"

He nodded and sighed. "Of course...I still have to get follow up shots to make sure that squirrel didn't give me rabies..."

London smiled. "Well, I had some help. You see...my mirror showed me the past, present and future. And what I saw surprised me..." Briefly, she explained everything she had seen.

Moseby just looked at her with his eyes open wide. "London...I don't know what to say. That all sounds very Dickensian..."

She frowned. "No way. Silly Moseby, it was like that story with Scrooge McDuck. Anyways, I'm making sure the future is happy for everyone."

He smiled. "Of course...My bad."

"And everything is right on or ahead of my schedule. Something tells me there will be another wedding not long after yours." She sighed. "Moseby, you should have seen it. Even though they were old and wrinkly and Cody looked like Mr. Howell from Gilligan's Island, they still looked at each other like they do now..."

Moseby smiled again. "Its called being in love, London. I know a little something about that myself."

"That reminds me. Arturo wants to see you and Tut on Friday for fittings..."

"We'll be there."

"Oh, and Moseby?"

"Yes, London?"

"Don't you dare think about leaving here for that big hotel in the sky anytime soon! I need you around here more!"

_The Boston Tipton_

In the penthouse, Cody and Bailey were up and ready to begin preparing everything for the next day. And since Carey had the the morning and afternoon off, she was up there helping them. The turkey was still defrosting, so it would be a little while before Cody had to begin work on it, so they began working on some of the side dishes. And in preparation, Cody once again got out his new apron. And when Carey saw it, she began laughing.

"Awww...That's the most adorable thing I've ever seen. When did you get that?"

Cody smiled. "It was a birthday gift from Bailey. I love it."

"That was very sweet of you, Bailey."

Bailey just smiled. "Well, I also wanted people to know who this cook belonged to."

"I can understand that. Alright, Chef Cody, what do you want me to do first?"

Cody paused. He needed to think of something his mother could do that there was little chance of her screwing up. And then he saw it. "Mom, see that bag of potatoes? I need you to peel those for me before we mash them. And when your done with those, peel the sweet potatoes and apples too."

Carey nodded and got to work immediately. Next, it was Bailey's turn. "Okay, what do you need me to do?"

He paused again to think. "Okay, you remember that big block of cheese we got? I need you to cut it in half and then used the cheese shredder to make two piles of shredded cheese. One will be for the macaroni and cheese and the other will be used for the tossed salad."

Bailey nodded. "Okay, I can do that. What will you be doing?"

"I'll be chopping the vegetables for the salad and the dressing."

Everyone got to work, and Cody had lined up all the vegetables by size getting ready to begin chopping them. He then paused and smiled to himself.

"Bails, can you hand me the French knife?"

She nodded and turned to the block of knives. And that's when she realized she had no idea which one was the French knife. So, taking a guess, she pulled one out and handed it to Cody. Still smiling to himself, he looked over at her.

"Seriously? This is a paring knife..."

Bailey looked at him and tried to apologize when she saw the grin break out on his face. She just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Okay, okay...I don't know cutlery..."

Cody kept smiling. "Its okay, Bails. I just couldn't resist the urge to turn the tables on you."

She began laughing. "Okay, its settled. You don't know tools and I don't know cooking utensils. As long as one of us knows each, we'll be fine..."

Cody was about to say something when both heard Carey laughing. Both turned to her to see her smiling at them both.

"Sorry, its just kind of funny. Its like you two have swapped the usual roles of men and women."

Bailey smiled. "Well, I guess that's true. We definitely don't conform to the traditional gender roles, but I think that's actually a good thing. Where one of us has a strength, the other has a weakness and vice versa. But that's why we work so well together."

Cody smiled too. "And I can think of no one I'd rather teach me about how to use tools. In fact, Berkeley College actually has a wood shop in it. Bailey's been teaching me somethings. And she's a much better teacher than my old teacher." He leaned down to kiss her cheek. "And a whole lot cuter too."

The rest of the day continued on with the three of them preparing side dishes and deserts. By the time Carey had to get ready to head to rehearsal, Cody and Bailey were preparing the turkey and the ham. And as they did that, London arrived back at her penthouse. When Carey saw her walk in, she smiled.

"London! You're finally home."

London just looked at her. "Finally? I got home late last night..."

When she said that, she noticed the look Cody and Bailey were giving her. So, quickly, she continued. "And I saw Cody asleep on the couch, so I didn't bother waking him up."

Carey nodded. "Well, I guess Cody can head back down to our suite now. It'll be good to have both my boys under the same roof with me again."

"Actually, I liked knowing he was here. That way, if someone broke in, they would have to deal with Cody first giving me time to escape..."

Both Carey and Cody just looked at her again in surprise.

"I mean...ummm...that I know he wouldn't let anything happen to Bailey, so it was reassuring having him here..."

Carey paused. "Oh. I guess I can see that."

"Besides, he has to get up early to cook. Here, he can do it without waking anyone up. Down in your suite, he would definitely wake you up. And Carey, you need as much beauty sleep as possible..."

Carey sighed. "Gee...London...Thanks. But you do bring up a good point. Oh well, I need to head on downstairs. See you all later."

And as she left, the other three all sighed in relief.

And Thursday morning, Cody was indeed up early putting things in the oven. And right next to him helping him was Bailey. Since the turkey needed five hours to cook, it was in half of London's double oven at about six that morning. And cooking just below it in the other half was the ham. Since they then had several hours to waste, they decided to go out for breakfast before they returned back to watch the parade.

By early that afternoon, everyone had arrived at London's penthouse. Moseby, Arwin, Esteban and Zack were sitting around watching the Packers and Lions while Cody and Bailey continued in the kitchen putting the next round of dishes in the oven. Carey, Tut, Francesca and Mother Ramirez were sitting around a table having coffee laughing about how they were glad they didn't have to cook anything. And London? Well, she had left the penthouse to head downstairs to meet her guest for the meal.

Tut got up to get herself another cup of coffee when she tentatively approached Cody.

"Ummm...Cody. As the former Seven Seas High Principal, I just wanted to say how sorry I was about the whole transcript fiasco. I..."

He interrupted her. "Everything worked out in the end, so don't worry about it."

Tut smiled. "Thanks." She sighed. "I should have known it was a bad idea to put Mr. Blanket in charge of doing that, but he was the guidance counselor..."

Cody looked at her in surprise. "That was Blanket's fault? That's strike three for him! First, making me dress like a banana. Then the terrible advice he gave me. And now this? I'll...I'll...I'll..."

Bailey rubbed his back to soothe him. "Its okay, Sweetie. Just let it go. Like you said, everything worked out the way it was supposed to, and we'll never have to deal with him ever again."

He took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right..."

She grinned. "So, what was this about a banana?"

Before Cody could answer, the door the penthouse swung open with London standing there smiling. And when she walked into the penthouse arm in arm with Todd St. Mark, more than a few eyebrows were raised. Bailey whispered to Cody.

"Who's that?"

He whispered back. "You remember me telling you about Todd St. Mark?"

She nodded. "Yeah. The son of the guy we almost used to blackmail Mr. Tipton."

"Well, that's him."

Bailey paused and smiled. "Good for her." She looked around at everyone there. "Is it just me, or does everyone here have someone except for Zack?"

"What about my Mom and Arwin?"

She just gave him a look. "Oh please. Even I can tell he's crazy about your Mom..."

He smiled. "I know, but its been almost seven years, and Mom still isn't convinced. And if I've learned anything, its not to get involved in other people's personal lives."

"You helped Woody get together with Addison..."

"Because those two were crazy about each other but too afraid to tell the other. If I thought my Mom returned the kind of feelings Arwin has for her, I might step in and do something."

She nodded. "That's true." She wrapper her arm around his waist. "What about Zack though?"

"I don't know. I don't think there is anything anyone can do until he figures out what he's going to do with the whole Maya situation. And that's something only he can do. Once he knows what he's going to do, then we can help him out."

She nodded again. "I guess so." She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm just so happy I have you."

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Me too. And that is what I am most thankful for this year."

"Same here."

Dinner was delicious, and everyone definitely ate too much. As the evening progressed, it seemed like everyone took a nap at one point or another. And by the time the holiday television specials were over, everyone was ready to call it a night. Carey and Zack were ready to head downstairs, and she looked over at Cody. But as he and Bailey were up before everyone else, they were both fast asleep on the couch curled up next to each other.

London just laughed. "Let them sleep. After that meal, they've earned it."

Carey could only nod. While part of her was happy to see her youngest look so happy, part of her also felt sad to see him now so grown up. But she had to remind herself that Cody and Bailey were both very responsible young adults...emphasis on the word adults. So, she and Zack headed on back downstairs.

Later that night, early the next morning, Cody and Bailey were woken up by hearing voices. Knowing London was home, they ordinarily wouldn't have thought anything of it. But while they recognized one of the voices as London's, they didn't recognize the other one. And after talking with Todd that day, they knew it wasn't his. They looked at each other in confusion and decided to get up to investigate. Looking around the penthouse, they finally found the source of the voices. And what they found shocked them both – London was talking to her full length mirror.

"What the..."

London turned and saw them standing there. And the same time, her magic mirror spoke again. "Uh oh...Looks like its their turn to bust you, London!"

Bailey just looked back and forth between them. "Your mirror talks to you?"

London just smiled. "Uh huh. He does more than that..."

Cody spoke up. "Like what?"

"Sit down, and I'll tell you."

And when they did, she told them about her adventures the past Christmas.

Bailey shook her head. "But that's...that's...that's crazy!"

London smirked. "Then how did I know Moseby got attacked by a squirrel when I wasn't there when it happened?"

Bailey paused. "I...I don't know, but..."

"And is it any crazier than you getting possessed by the spirit of an evil queen?"

Bailey paused again to think. "Well...I guess not."

Cody turned to her. "I admit its a little out there too, but after what happened to me while we passed the international dateline and at the Gemini Project, I can't really say anything."

"True..." She turned to London. "So, is that why you were so different that next day?"

London nodded. "Yeah. I realized that I have to let my friends know how much they mean to me. That's why I stood up and blackmailed Daddy when he tried to take away your family farm. I knew if the situation was different, you would have done the same for me."

Bailey smiled. "Thank you again for that, London."

She smiled. "Well, I realized that the two of you have done a lot for me over the years. I had to do something so you two wouldn't get separated again once you two finally stopped being dummies. And when I saw what happened to Zack, I knew I had to do something there too." She paused. "At the time, I wondered why he was on your couch and not with Maya. I guess I know now..."

Cody nodded. "Yeah, that does make sense now. But you're trying to light a fire underneath him so that doesn't happen?"

London nodded. "Yeah, I am. And that's why I looked up Todd again. I didn't want to end up alone either."

Bailey smiled at her. "London, you would never have been alone. No matter what, you'll always have us..."

Cody smiled. "Exactly. If you want, I'll still produce Yay Me! when we we're all living in a nursing home..."

She laughed. "I'll think about it." She paused. "Though, we'll have to remember to get your eyes lasered and you a top of the line hearing aid. And Cody...the mustache was not a good look on you..."

His eyes widened, and he smiled. "I'll finally grow facial hair?"

"Yeah...you grow hair there while Zack loses the hair on the top of his head. Remind me to get him some Rogaine soon."

Cody laughed. "Alright. Thanks for telling us all of this, London."

"No problem. And Bailey? I have two words for you...moisturizer and botox!"

Cody and Bailey left London's room and headed back to the guest room. Both took turns changing for bed before climbing in together. Bailey laid her head on his shoulder again. But she could tell he was thinking about something.

"Cody?"

"Penny for your thoughts?"

He paused. "I was just thinking that I hope it won't be nine more years before we get married..."

Bailey looked up at him and smiled. "It won't be."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I am. You remember in Back to the Future, George McFly finally stood up to Biff, and when Marty got back to his time, things were very different."

"Yeah..."

"Well, things have changed here too. When London saw what she saw, we were still being stupid. We finally got back together, and when the time came, we worked to get you in to Yale so we wouldn't be separated again. Those two occurrences had to change the course of the future that she saw."

"You really think so?"

She smiled again. "I know so. While the past can't be changed...well until someone figures out time travel, the future hasn't been written in stone. It will be whatever we decide to make of it."

Cody smiled. "Yeah, you're right." He leaned down to kiss her. "And as long as we're together, I'm in no hurry to find out what all it has in store for us now."

Bailey smiled at him. "Me either. And Cody?"

"Yeah, Bails?"

"For future reference, Zack is NOT going on any anniversary trips of ours ever..."

_To be Continued..._


	12. The Finals Countdown

_Episode 12_

__"The Finals Countdown"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

Black Friday was spent with everyone going out shopping together. No one really wanted to head out and face the crowds, but everyone realized it was their best chance to get their Christmas shopping done due to their upcoming busy schedules. Cody and Bailey knew they would have finals till the 16th of December and would be flying out to Kettlecorn a few days after that. So, they didn't want to put off everything and try to do it all in a few days time. And as for Zack, he had his own agenda.

"So, Broseph...we're going to do this like we usually do, right?"

Cody just looked at him. "What are you talking about?"

"You know...You buy the gifts, I pay you half the costs and you sign my name to the gift tags."

"Oh..." He sighed. "Well, actually, Bailey and I were talking. We're sending out Christmas cards this year together. And except for our gifts for each other, we we're going to buy our gifts together and have them be from the both of us..."

Zack just grinned. "Even better. For your gifts for Mom, Dad and everyone else we have in common, we can split it three ways then. Thanks guys...you just saved me a lot of money!"

Cody was about to say something, but Bailey just grabbed his arm and shook her head.

On Saturday, it was time for Cody and Bailey to head back. And after spending their morning doing their laundry while Carey packed up tons of leftovers for them to take back with them, it was time for them to head back to New Haven.

"You guys have everything, right?"

Cody nodded. "Yes, Mom."

Carey sighed. "Seems like I just got you back, and now you have to leave again already..."

Bailey smiled. "We'll be back on the 17th of December after finals."

She nodded. "And when do you head out for Kettlecorn?"

"On the 20th and then we'll be back on the 29th so we're here in plenty of time for Moseby and Tut's wedding."

Carey sighed again. "I guess I'm going to have to get used to this from now on. You have two families you have to make happy, and I did get you for all of Thanksgiving Break. I guess I can't be selfish."

Cody smiled. "And then we'll be here until the 5th of January before we head back to school. So, over break, we'll actually be here half the time and in Kettlecorn half the time. And we'll be back in time to spend some time with Mimi while she is here."

Bailey turned to him and her eyes lit up. "That's right! I'm finally going to get to meet your grandmother. I hope she likes me as much as mine likes you." She turned to Carey. "Grammy Pickett absolutely adores Cody..."

Cody smiled. "And I like her too." He paused. "Now, Zack on the other hand..."

Carey frowned. "What did Zack do?"

"Well, he was looking for an anniversary gift for Maya. And when Grammy Pickett was going to give me a family heirloom to give to Bailey, she thought he was me. And he saw it as an opportunity to solve his problem and didn't correct her..."

"Oh..."

Bailey laughed. "You should have seen her chase him around the farm with her cane when Cody and I came out of the house a few minutes later."

Carey just shook her head. "Well, there is some bad news. Mom doesn't think she'll be able to come out after all."

Cody's expression fell. "Awww. I was really looking forward to seeing her again. Being on the boat, I talked to her on the phone and by e-mail, but its been so long since I've seen her in person."

"And she really wanted to see her boys again too and finally meet Bailey. But she said she would definitely be out to see us as soon as she could. For now, you two better get back so you can get back to the grind. Study hard and do well on your finals."

"We will, Carey."

Carey hugged them both. "Now, go on and get out of here. And from what I remember of finals, they can be pretty stressful. Take care of each other and take a break every once in a while. Don't drive yourselves crazy."

And with that, Cody and Bailey were off.

__New Haven__

The next weeks flew by for Cody and Bailey after they returned back to school. The first week back was their last week of classes. And in that week, they finished their final homework assignments in calculus, physics and chemistry as well as their final chemistry and physics labs. The major event of their week was their final chemistry exam before the final. And with all of that done, they had the whole next week off for reading/study week.

Since they had kept up with all of their reading all semester, Cody and Bailey used the week to primarily study for finals. And fortunately for them, their finals schedule was not as brutal as it could have been. The Saturday following reading week would be their MATH 120 final at 2:00 in the afternoon. After that, they has their PHYS 200 final on Monday afternoon at 2:00, PHIL 178 on Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 and CHEM 118 on Friday morning at 9:00.

And while most students dreaded finals week, Cody and Bailey were looking forward to it with anticipation. They even had their reading week planned out on a schedule. Saturday morning would be spent studying chemistry while Saturday night would be their night to do whatever they wanted. Sunday would be spent all day on chemistry as well before switching to to philosophy all day Monday. After a late lunch on Tuesday, they would switch to physics and study it Tuesday afternoon and all day Wednesday. Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning would be spent on calculus. And then in the day between each final, they would return to studying for whichever subject was their next final.

During the mornings and afternoons, they would study at the library so they would have nothing around to distract them. But after dinner every evening, they would head back and hole themselves up in Bailey's room. That way, they could study in their sweats or pajama pants, and they could just go to sleep whenever they got tired or found a stopping point.

On Thursday, when they began studying for calculus, Tapeworm joined them as he had the class with them, and it made sense for him to study with them. After dinner that night, all three of them returned to study in Bailey's room. When they finally took a break, Tapeworm teased them a little bit.

"Well, its nice to know I do still have a roommate. I haven't seen you much this week, Cody, and I was starting to wonder if you had pulled a Barbara on me..."

Cody smiled. "Nah, I've just been one floor up. Besides, you should have noticed my dirty clothes hamper getting fuller each day. Besides, its just easier to crash up here. You know...study till I fall asleep and start studying again once I wake up."

"Uh huh..." He laughed. "I'm starting to think you like Bailey more than you do me." He faked some sniffling. "I can't say I'm not hurt, Cody..."

Now it was Bailey's turn to do some teasing. "You can have him back anytime you want him. At night, it sounds like a logging camp around here..."

Cody held his ground though. "Is that so? Never heard you complain before. Well, I guess this Cody Bear will have to find a new forest where he's welcome...Boo Boo."

Bailey laughed. "You haven't called me Boo Boo since we were banished to detention together that one time."

Tapeworm just looked back and forth between them. "Cody Bear? Boo Boo? I think you two might have gone over the edge studying too much...or gotten lost in a cartoon. Do I need to worry about you two stealing picnic baskets?"

Cody laughed too. "Well, Bailey said I was like a life sized teddy bear to her, so she started calling me her Cody Bear." He paused and grinned. "Like Yogi, I'm smarter than the average bear..."

That caused Bailey to start laughing again hysterically. Tapeworm shook his head. "I'm pretty sure you two have officially lost your minds..." He sighed. "...but you've gotten to go insane together. Okay, I really, really need to find a girlfriend soon..."

__Boston__

Unfortunately for Zack, Beacon Hill Community College didn't have a reading week to give him time to prepare for finals. However, what he did have going for him were that the classes he was taking were not as difficult as ones his brother was. And, Moseby gave him the week of finals off as well as the week before finals off so he would have plenty of time to study.

In a move that had him questioning himself, Zack found himself not complaining too much about his final English paper. The professor had even given strict page limits, font name and font size. And Zack just shook his head as he just wrote down that information. He still hadn't cracked Cody's new password yet, but that didn't bother him either as he was really looking forward to writing the paper himself. In fact, on the Friday of the last week of classes, he even stopped by his professor's office and handed it in early.

The weekend before the week of finals, Zack holed himself up in his office at London Inns so that he wouldn't be bothered or distracted. And on Sunday, he even invited Amanda to join him to study for their economics test. To say she was impressed was an understatement.

She just looked around in surprise. "This is your office?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Not bad, huh?"

"Not bad? Some people with doctoral degrees don't have offices this nice. Maybe I should put in an application to this place. I'll just tell them I know you..."

Zack laughed. "Well, with my boss, that might not help you much."

"Why not?"

"Moseby and I have know each other for almost seven years now. Lets just say our relationship has had...its ups and downs at times."

Amanda just looked at him. "Oh really?"

He smiled. "Well, he was the manager of the Boston Tipton when my brother and I moved in when we were twelve. And then he was the manager of the S.S. Tipton while we were in school there. I may have pulled a prank or two on him during that time..."

"Why do I get the feeling that you are low balling me on that?"

Zack laughed again. "Okay, I may have pulled a prank or two on him...per week...during that time."

Amanda laughed too. "That sounds more like it."

He paused. "Its kind of weird though. I worked from him on the boat, but its completely different now. Its like I'm now a co-worker and not an underling. He still gets on my case a lot, but not as much as he did. Probably another sign that I'm getting old and boring..."

"After your Halloween, no one can say you're getting boring. Does he treat your brother the same way?"

Zack shook his head. "Not anymore. When we were younger, we were the two hooligans. But even then, those two had things they could bond over. And when we got to the ship, Cody was no longer my partner in crime. He had other interests..."

She smiled. "Let me guess...his girlfriend?"

"You got it. And I can't really blame him for that. Those two really are perfect for each other, and I've never seen him happier. And it could be worse. Trust me...Cody is a little different, but so is Bailey. And she actually does genuinely love him. So, I'm happy for them." He paused and sighed. "In fact, its what I thought I had with Maya until she dumped me..."

Amanda nodded. "Don't have to tell me about it. I've got that same t-shirt, remember?"

"Sorry..."

"Don't worry about it. After what happened to us both, we have every reason to be a little bit bitter. We just can't let it control us."

"You're right. Speaking of such, we should probably dive into economics. Did you know that this is only called microeconomics? Moseby told me I'm taking another class next semester in something called macroeconomics."

Amanda smiled. "Lets worry about that next semester. Now, you're going to thank me, but one of the girls in the class did an outline for the class. She left it open on one of the school computers, and I happened to print out a copy of it. How about we make a copy of it and get to work?"

Zack grinned. "Sounds good to me! The only thing better than your own hard work is using someone else's!"

__New Haven__

The following Friday, just after noon, Cody and Bailey walked out of their CHEM 118 final, their last one of the semester. And as they did, both felt good yet completely exhausted.

Bailey let out small chuckle. "Oh, looks like our professor saved all of his tricks for the final..."

Cody nodded. "I know. Of course, if everyone had paid attention to his lectures and homework, they shouldn't have had any problems with that test."

"Tell me about. I'm just glad finals are over and we have time to rest now."

He smiled. "Not too much time. We're heading back to Boston tomorrow afternoon."

"I know. But right now, I just feel like crashing and taking a nap..."

Cody wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked. "How about we grab a quick lunch, and then we can head back and make that a joint nap."

Bailey smiled. "Sounds perfect to me. I say we put off doing our laundry till we get back to the Tipton."

"Good call." He laughed. "I must really be tired. I don't have the energy to clean right now..."

After a quick lunch at the Commons, they headed back to LW. Cody was going to drop off his backpack before following Bailey back up to her room. But when he got there, he found Tapeworm zipping up the last of his bags. And when Tapeworm saw them, he just grinned.

"Was chemistry as brutal as I imagined it would be?"

Bailey smiled. "And then some. Thank goodness we were so prepared for it."

Cody spoke up. "You heading home today?"

Tapeworm nodded. "Yeah. My final this morning was just an hour long one, so I've been packing for a couple of hours. Its my Mom's birthday, so I'm heading home for it."

Cody nodded. "Well, tell her we said happy birthday. And if I don't talk to you beforehand, have a Merry Christmas."

Bailey nodded. "Yeah, I hope you have a good break."

"Thanks, guys. You two have a good break too." He paused. "And Bailey? Could you do me a favor?"

"Sure."

Tapeworm grinned. "Please take a picture of Cody on the farm for me. I'd pay to see that..."

She laughed. "Consider it done."

Bailey hugged Tapeworm goodbye before Cody and Tapeworm did the short guy back slap. "I guess I'll see you next year, guys." He paused again and grinned. "Will I still have a roommate next semester?"

Cody shook his head and laughed. "Yeah, you will."

Bailey smiled again. "And next semester, we're going to make sure you actually get a girl's name. We're here to help in anyway we can."

"I appreciate that. Well, I'm off." Tapeworm smiled. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"All we're going to do right now is take a nap. We're both physically drained..."

__Boston__

Zack's last final was on Friday afternoon. And when it was over, he and Amanda went out to celebrate finishing their first semester of college.

"So, what are these things called again?"

Zack just looked at her. "Seriously? You've never had a smoothie before?"

She shook her head. "Can't say I have..."

He shook his head in response. "How is that possible? For three years, my job on the boat was working the smoothie counter..."

Amanda smirked at him. "Well, some of us didn't go to high school on a cruise ship!"

"Oh yeah..." He shrugged and lifted up his cup. "Here's to finishing a semester of college!"

She clinked cups with him. "Here, here."

"And here's to me taking a nap and hopefully not waking up until Sunday afternoon...you know...in time for the Pats game."

She laughed. "Why get up then? Just sleep in until Monday Night Football."

"Because unlike you, I have to work on Monday morning."

"So do I! I may not have had to work in Dad's store during the semester, but with me on break, all bets are off..."

"I didn't think about that. Well, until next semester starts, I'm only get five days off – December 23, 26, 29, 30 and January 2. Moseby won't even give me the whole week in between off even though he's taking it."

"Awww...Poor baby." She laughed. "I guess you won't be pulling another Halloween on New Year's Eve then..."

Zack sighed. "I couldn't even if I wanted to. On New Year's Eve, Moseby and his fiancee Tut are getting married. So, I'll be stuck in a monkey suit during the ball drop..."

"At least you have something planned. Didn't you say London Tipton was planning the whole thing?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, you know she's going to make it fancy and upscale. I bet it will be a fun night."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah...tons of fun. Watching everyone else ring in the new year with their significant others? No thanks. I'll end up spending the night dancing with my Mom as she tries to fend off Arwin..."

"Sounds easy enough. Get yourself a date then."

"No way! I'm staying away from girls right now. This would be the last..." He paused and a smile formed on his face. "I take that back. That is a good idea. What time should I pick you up?"

Amanda was surprised. "Me?"

"Sure. Why not? You already said you had nothing planned and you already said it would be fun. Why not hang out with me that night?"

She paused. "Zack...are you asking me out?"

"Of course not. You and I are friends. Neither one of us is looking for more than that..." He grinned. "Supposedly, there is a rumor that a guy and a girl can just be friends."

"Well..."

"Awww...come on!"

She sighed. "I suppose..." She smiled. "You just make sure you're on your best behavior that night. I'm not your brother or your other buddy Tapeworm...I won't take care of you if you have too much champagne."

"Yeah...like I'm going to do that at my boss's wedding with my Mom around..."

Well, Zack didn't sleep in until Sunday afternoon. It was Satuday afternoon. And when he came stumbling out his room, he noticed Cody and Bailey sitting on the couch watching TV. He paused and frowned.

"What day is it?"

Cody looked up. "Its Saturday."

He nodded and paused again. "When did you two get here?"

"This morning. We finished finals yesterday, packed up last night and hit the road after breakfast."

"What time is it?"

"A little after noon..."

Zack turned around. "I'm going back to bed..."

Cody and Bailey just looked at each other and shrugged. "Actually...that doesn't sound like a bad idea..."

Thirty minutes later, both were asleep themselves on the couch.

After spending a few days doing absolutely nothing, Cody and Bailey finally had to leave the Tipton hotel on Monday. They were leaving the next day for Kettlecorn, and they had to finish up their Christmas shopping. And once they finished, they spent the entire afternoon wrapping all of their presents for Kettlecorn and packing away everything in a box to take with them. By Tuesday morning, they were packed and ready to head out for the airport. They were planning on just taking the hotel's shuttle, but Carey insisted on driving them to there herself.

After they checked all of their bags, she walked with them to security.

"Now, do you both have your boarding passes?"

"Yes, Mom."

Carey nodded and hugged them both. "Alright. Well, you two have fun in Kettlecorn. We'll have another Christmas here in Boston when you get back. And Cody, be on your best behavior. You'll be a guest of the Pickett family. I want you to be a pleasure to have around like Bailey has been here in Boston."

Bailey smiled. "I'll make sure he will be."

Carey finally bid them a goodbye, and they headed through security and on towards their gate. The closest airport to Kettlecorn was going to be Wichita, but there wasn't a direct flight there from Boston. So, they would have to go through Atlanta first. Finally, their flight was called, and Cody and Bailey boarded their plane. After settling into their seats, Bailey turned to Cody and smiled.

"You ready to head back to Kettlecorn?"

He smiled back. "I am. And this time, I'm ready!"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I've packed both my big boots and my gloves. I should be ready for anything this time!"

__To be Continued...__


	13. Home for the Holidays

_Episode 13_

__"Home for the Holidays"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Kettlecorn__

After six hours of flying and making their connecting flight by the seat of their pants, Cody and Bailey finally arrived in Wichita, Kansas. And when they picked up their rental car, it wasn't quite what they were expecting. They knew they had asked for the cheapest car they could, but even they were surprised to find a bright orange two door hatchback. But since it was just the two of them, they shrugged and began filling the back of it up with all of their their things. With a two hour drive ahead of them, Bailey took the wheel, and they began their drive. Due to switching time zones in the air, they arrived in Kettlecorn a little after six in the evening. As they pulled up to the house, they could see Clyde doing some work outside and Grammy Pickett asleep in her rocking chair on the porch. And when he saw the car come to a stop, Clyde smiled widely.

As soon as she was out of the car, Bailey was engulfed in a big hug by her father. "Bailey! You're home again!"

She had to laugh. "We're here, Daddy. Its good to see you again too."

And that's when Clyde turned his attention to Cody. Cody was a little nervous meeting Bailey's father again as their first meeting hadn't necessarily started off on the right foot. But when Clyde smiled and picked up Cody in a bear hug again, he was relieved. "Good to see you again too, Cody!"

Cody just smiled as he was sure his ribs were beginning to crack. "Good to see you too, Mr...Clyde."

After setting him down, Clyde took a good look at their car. "This is what they gave you at the airport? That sure is tiny!"

Bailey just nodded. "Yeah, we asked for the cheapest they had, and that's what they gave us. Cody said we might have to pull it back first to get it to go, but we actually made it here with no problems."

Clyde laughed. "I would have thought you would have had to wind it up. Doesn't matter though. You're here, and that's all that matters."

About that time, Eunice came out of the house and immediately hugged both of the teens. "You're here! And just in time. Dinner will be ready in 30 minutes. Now, we figured you two might be tuckered out from flying all day, so everyone will be here tomorrow night for a big family supper."

Cody nodded. "Sounds good. That'll give me another day to make sure I have everyone's name down pat."

Eunice laughed. "Don't worry about it too much. With a family as big as ours, its takes some time. Some of the husbands of our other daughters still have trouble remembering everything. So, if you call someone by the wrong name, they won't take any offense. Anyways, how is your Mom doing?"

"Doing well. She dropped us off at the airport this morning." He smiled. "And she said to give her a call if I wasn't behaving myself."

"I don't think we'll have any problems with that. I'm just glad you two are here in one piece. That hurricane sure worried us. Bailey is now the first person from Kettlecorn to ever ride out a twister and a hurricane."

Clyde laughed. "Yeah...what is it with you two and big storms?"

Bailey smiled and winked at Cody. "Seems like big storms like to follow us around...and they always mean good things for us in the end."

Eunice smiled. "Good enough. Now, how were your finals? When I talked to you before they started, you both sounded a little...slap happy."

Cody laughed. "They're over with for now. I think that's the best thing we can say about them."

"Well, what are you looking at for next semester?"

Bailey shook her head. "We have a good idea of what we need to take, but we'll worry about that in a few weeks. For now, I'm just happy to be home."

"We're glad to have you home too...both of you."

Clyde spoke up. "And since you're here, Bailey, I could use your help with something in the barn..."

Cody turned to him. "I'll do it!"

Clyde looked at him with leery. "Ummm...you sure about that, Cody? The last time...well...working with your hands ain't your thing..."

He grabbed his gloves out of his backpack and smiled. "I'm positive. I came prepared this time."

Clyde just laughed. "I can see that..." He paused. "...but are you really sure?"

"I am. Berkeley College has its own woodshop in the basement. When we've had some free time, Bailey's been teaching me some things."

Bailey nodded. "Its true, Daddy. And he actually is learning. He can now tell the difference between types of screwdrivers..."

Clyde paused. "I guess that's a start. How long do you think it will be until he's decent?"

Bailey rubbed Cody's back. "Well...lets just say I'm glad we have three and a half more years left in Berkeley with access to its woodshop..." She turned to Cody and smiled. "I'll get our things inside while you go help Daddy..."

As Cody and Clyde entered the barn, Cody spoke up again. "Actually, while we have a few minutes alone, Clyde, there is something I wanted to talk to you about..."

__Boston__

About the time Cody and Bailey arrived in Kettlecorn, Zack was settling into the couch with the pizza he had ordered himself for dinner. And as he was getting comfortable with his feet propped up, Carey came out of the bathroom dressed ready to head down for her show that night.

"Zack...You really aren't going to spend the evening sitting on the couch again, are you?"

He looked up at his Mom. "Why not? I'm on Christmas break and I've worked all day today. I just want to take it easy tonight."

Carey just looked at him. "Well, I guess I can understand that. Anyways, I have a favor to ask of you. I need you to pick up your grandmother up at the airport on Friday. I don't want her waiting around the airport while you re-familiarize yourself with the couch even more..."

Zack's eyes lit up. "Mimi's actually coming now? I didn't think she was going to be able to make it..."

"I just got off the phone with her. Turns out she will be able to come to Boston after all. I guess she was able to find a flight after all, and it gets here about one on Friday afternoon."

"Okay, I'll be there. I'm actually looking forward to seeing Mimi again..."

"So am I. How about your Christmas shopping? Do you have it finished yet?"

He smiled. "Well, with gifts we have in common, I'm paying Cody and Bailey to sign my name to them."

Carey shook her head. "Zack...I know you used to that to Cody in the past, but don't you think its time you did it yourself? I mean...you do have a good job. You don't want to sponge off of them for the rest of your life, do you?"

"I won't..."

"I hope not. I know Cody wouldn't turn his back on you, but I'm kind of afraid you'll end up permanently affixed to his and Bailey's couch one day..."

Zack rolled his eyes. "Mom, that's the silliest thing I've ever heard."

Carey just looked at him again. "When are you planning on doing the rest of your shopping?"

Zack grinned again. "On Friday morning before I pick up Mimi. Mom, I'm a guy. Every guy not named Cody or who has a woman in his life to make him does his Christmas shopping at the last minute."

__Kettlecorn__

On that Friday morning, Cody was still asleep on the couch in the Pickett's family room. It wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, but all things considered, he was sleeping peacefully. At least there were no renegade springs trying to poke him. His conversation with Clyde the day they had arrived had gone much better than he had expected. And to make things even better, he had actually remembered everyone's name the night before when the whole Pickett clan came over for dinner. The only thing that could even be perceived as going wrong was when Bailey's young niece called him 'Uncle Cody' in front of everyone. And all that did was cause he and Bailey both to blush as everyone endlessly teased them. So, all things considered, this trip was turning out much better than his first trip to Kettlecorn.

He wasn't sure what time it was, but he smelled something delicious coming from the kitchen. Opening one eye, he could see it was still dark outside. He knew soon enough the rooster would be wakening everyone up, so he closed his eyes to just lie there and relax for however how much longer he had. But he didn't have much time to relax before he felt a pair of lips on his. Opening his eyes, he saw Bailey smiling at him.

"I wanted to get that in before everyone else was awake. I know last time we were here we kissed in front of everyone, but I'm not that fond of an audience."

Cody smiled and teased here. "I'm not either. And at first, I thought Grammy Pickett had come down trying to flirt with me again.."

Bailey let out a laugh before covering her mouth. "I told you she had took a shining to you. And despite her age, she can be frisky..."

He kept grinning. "So...that's where you get it from."

"What can I say? I wouldn't have been surprised if your cheeks were bruised this morning. My aunts and cousins are notorious pinchers..."

He rubbed his face. "Hate to tell you, Bails, these weren't the only cheeks they pinched last night. I'm afraid its the other ones that are sore and bruised."

She just looked at him. "Still not going to kiss it to make it feel better."

He let out a small chuckle. "Fair enough." He paused. "I have noticed you haven't told anyone about your summer opportunity yet."

Bailey sighed. "I know. I was going to wait until after Christmas to do it. Its a great opportunity that I can't pass up plus it would mean getting to be with you all summer. I just don't know how they'll take it."

Cody took her hand and rubbed it. "Be optimistic, Sweetie. I'm sure they will understand. And if you want, I'll be there the whole time with you when you tell them."

She was about to say something to him when both heard a shriek come from the kitchen. Both frowned and jumped up to head into the kitchen to see what was going on. And when they got there, they found Eunice grimacing and holding her hand.

"Momma? Are you alright?"

Eunice gritted her teeth. "Silly me. I accidentally grabbed the hot skillet and burned my hand..."

"Let us take a look at it."

Eunice opened up her hand, and Cody and Bailey got a good look at it.

Cody spoke up. "Looks like its only a first degree burn..."

Bailey nodded. "I would agree with that." She walked over and filled a pitcher with cool water. "Momma, soak your hand in this for about fifteen to twenty minutes."

"And I'll go get my first aid kit. It has some burn cream with aloe in it."

Eunice looked at him. "You brought a first aid kit with you?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm kind of...accident prone. I don't travel without one."

"Its true, Momma. Kids on the boat would go to Cody to get fixed up over the infirmary sometimes. He had better ointments and bandages."

Thirty minutes later, Eunice's hand was cooled, dried, covered with cream and then a gauze pad and wrapped with an ace bandage. She just shook her head.

"Well, I can see you both will be good doctors." She sighed. "But how am I going to fix Christmas dinner now with a bad wing?"

Bailey spoke up. "We'll help, Momma."

"Yeah?"

Cody grinned. "Of course. I cooked Thanksgiving dinner and Bailey was my sous chef. Just tell us what you need us to do, and we'll do it."

Eunice just looked at Cody again in surprise. "My daughter helped cook?" She looked at Bailey. "No offense, Honey, but of my ten daughters, you always were the worst cook..."

Bailey was slightly offended, but Cody laughed. "Well, while Bailey is teaching me woodworking, I'm teaching her to cook." He winked at Bailey. "And this time, I can show favoritism."

"How is she doing so far?"

Cody smiled and teased Bailey. "Lets just say...I'm glad we have three and half more years of college...and then medical school...and then our residencies...and then..."

__Boston__

Friday morning for Zack was spent doing his Christmas shopping. And even though it was the holiday season, it was kind of depressing. The downtown shopping center was full of nothing but guys who looked like they wanted to be anywhere but there. Of course, Zack couldn't blame them as he felt the same way. He couldn't help but think if he was still with Maya, she would have forced him out the day after Thanksgiving like Bailey had with Cody. He shook his head. He refused to think about that right then. So, he did his shopping and got out of there as quickly as he could once he discovered the wonders of gift cards. Sure, they were a little impersonal, but it was the thought that counted, right?

After leaving the mall, he headed for the airport. Once he parked in short term parking, he made his way inside, and after finding which baggage carousel his grandmother's bags would be coming in on, he headed that way. And thirty minutes later, there she was. Grandma Mimi found Zack and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Well, well...if it isn't one of my globe trotting grandsons!"

He smiled. "Hey, Mimi. Good to see you again too. I guess with us on the boat for three years, it has been a while since I've seen you."

She smiled. "You're darn right it has! Too long! I understand your brother is off at his...well, for the lack of a better word, his in-laws. I look forward to seeing him and finally meeting this Bailey, but I'm happy to have a few days to spend with you first."

"Me too, Mimi."

Mimi just paused and looked at him. "You want to talk about this Maya girl now or do you want to go get some food while we do that?"

__Kettlecorn__

Eunice had given a list to Cody and Bailey of what they needed for the next day, and they piled into their rental car and headed out.

Cody smiled. "I take it there's not a supermarket in the suburbs we're headed to, huh?"

Bailey laughed. "Not quite. Besides, we don't need it. All the fruits and vegetables are already fresh from the farm, so we just need the basics. So, we'll just head out to the general store. It should have everything we need. But I'll let you head in there first. Daddy wants me to grab something from the feed store next door while we're out."

After Bailey parked the car, she pointed to the general store for Cody while she headed for the feed store. And as Cody was walking to the general store, his cell phone rang.

"Hello?" "Grandma Mimi!"

He stopped to talk to her briefly before heading in. But it was getting a bit chilly, so he headed on inside to warm up. And once he got inside, his connection stared filling with static and he feared he might lose reception.

"Look, my phone is starting to break up. I'll call you later okay?" He paused. "Good. I love you too, Mimi. I'll see you when I get back to Boston in a few days."

Once he hung up, he pulled out his list and went to work. And in the span of a few minutes, he had found everything he needed. Cody was already checking out when Bailey came into the store to meet him.

"Done already?"

He smiled. "Yeah. Found everything we needed." He paid the cashier and they began to walk out. "Oh, I just got an interesting phone call. Turns out there is a surprise waiting on you when we get back to Boston."

"What kind of a surprise?"

He kept grinning. "I can't tell you...otherwise, it wouldn't be a surprise."

After Cody and Bailey walked out of the store, someone stood up from where he was crouching. The cashier noticed this.

"Moose? What in the blazes are you doing?"

Moose frowned. "Learning that the little feller isn't what he seems to be. He's playing Bailey like a fiddle and has some other girl up there in Boston!"

__Boston__

Grandma Mimi was sitting at the table hanging up her phone when Zack returned back from the bathroom.

"Sorry about that, Mimi. I had several cups of coffee this morning to get through my Christmas shopping. I guess they finally made their way through my system..."

She laughed. "Zack. I'm seventy-five years old. You told have to tell me about being regular..."

He cringed. "Too much information there, Mimi."

"Okay, okay. Lets get back to the topic I mentioned earlier – Maya."

Zack sighed. "I'm not sure what there is to say, Mimi. I thought I loved her, and she dumped me like week old garbage."

"I know that feeling. I remember when I was younger, I..."

Zack interrupted her. "Grandma, I appreciate it, but Mom's tried to soothe me with all of her stories about her old boyfriends, and none of them did any good."

Mimi smiled. "Trust me. I know all about those. You're mother never did have very good taste in men..." She paused. "Ummm...your father excluded of course."

"Its okay, Mimi. I know you and Dad never really got along too well..."

"Alright, she never did have very good taste in men period. But I can at least thank your father because without him, I wouldn't have you and Cody. But let me get back to my story. When I was younger, there was this young man I thought was just dreamy, and I thought I was in love too."

"Grandpa?"

She shook her head. "No, it wasn't. This was before I met your Grandpa. I was sixteen and this young man was eighteen. Well, when he graduated from college, he decided to join the navy instead of staying home and going to UW. I cried for days and weeks when he left, and I didn't know what I was going to do." Mimi smiled. "And it was then that I met your Grandpa. He was the same age as me and his family had just moved to town. Zack, not long after I met him, I completely forgot about that other boy. I realized then there was a difference between a childhood crush and true love. Your Grandpa was the love of my life."

"Sounds kind of like what happened with Cody and Bailey..."

Mimi kept smiling. "I hope so. One of the reasons I can't wait to finally meet her. But the point of my story is that when you think love is playing a cruel joke on you or forgotten all about you, that's when true love will finally find you. It did for me."

"You really think it might happen for me to?"

"I do...and maybe its already found you. Your mother told me about your friend from school."

"That's all we are, Mimi. Just friends."

She laughed. "If that's the case, then so be it. I just don't want you pining over someone who you may never see again."

Zack sighed. "I thought I was getting better until she sent me a card for my birthday. She said she missed me and signed it 'Love, Maya'."

She grinned. "That's good!"

"How?"

"Maybe it means she realized she made a mistake? Maybe she's trying to get you back?"

He paused. "You think so?"

"Zack...honey...I don't know. But if she is, that's her problem, not yours. You should be out there living life and enjoying what it has to offer. If she does try to get you back, it will show her that she can't just waltz back into your life like nothing happened. She'll have to fight to prove she's worthy of you. Call me biased, but I happen to think both of my grandsons are great catches."

Zack smiled. "You really think so, Mimi?"

"I know so." She smiled. "But that can all wait until after Christmas. Until then, the only woman you'll have on your arm is me!"

He laughed. "It would be my pleasure, Grandma."

__Kettlecorn__

Christmas Eve arrived, and once again Cody and Bailey were both up early. But on this day, both had a full schedule ahead of them. Essentially, they were going to be Eunice's hands in the kitchen that morning. And as Cody was getting ready, he donned the apron that Bailey had gotten him for his birthday once again. When Clyde and Eunice saw it, both began to laugh.

"Where in the world did you get that?"

Bailey grinned. "It was a birthday present from me. I think he looks adorable in it."

Eunice was still laughing. "I will give you that."

Cody spoke up. "And actually, before we begin, I think Bailey should open up one of her Christmas gifts from me." He headed out into the family room and returned with a package. "Merry Christmas, Boo Boo."

Bailey kissed his cheek before opening it. And when she saw what was inside, she began laughing too. "Thank you, Cody Bear...I love it!"

Clyde's eyebrows raised. "Boo Boo? ody Bear? And what is it exactly?"

Bailey smiled. "I call him my Cody Bear because he's cuddly like a teddy bear. You know...Cody...teddy...both end in '-dy'. And he once called me his little Boo Boo when we were on the boat. Well, with me calling him Cody Bear, it also sounds like Yogi Bear, so he's started calling me Boo Boo again. And I happen to like it."

Eunice just smiled while Clyde paused to ponder that. Finally, he shrugged. "I would have thought that would make you Cindy Bear, but whatever works for you..."

Bailey continued. "And as for what it is..." She held up her very own apron. It was lavender and had the words 'Cody's Sweet Thang' printed on it. "Help me tie it, Sweetie?"

Cody willingly obliged, and Bailey modeled it for everyone. "So, how does it look?"

Clyde nodded. "You look beautiful, Sweetheart. And I must say...that's a good color on you."

Cody smiled. "She does look beautiful, and I agree that its a great color on her. During the Miss Tipton pageant, that was the same color as the dress she wore. She looked breathtakingly amazing in it."

Bailey kissed him again. "Thank you again for that too, Sweetie."

Clyde smiled. "Well, I'll let you three get to work. I'll be outside tending to the animals. Come get me when its time to clean up before we head over to your sister Kelly's."

And with that, Eunice began giving instructions, and Cody and Bailey began following them. After a couple of hours, Grammy Pickett joined them in the kitchen. And when she saw Cody and Bailey in their aprons, she just grinned.

"Awww...You took looks absolutely adorable. I think its so sweet you two have matching aprons." She turned to Eunice. "You ready for me to clean the bird?"

Eunice shook her head. "Not yet. I haven't killed it yet. Not sure I can I can with only one good hand."

"Well, you know I can't. I'm not fast enough anymore to catch one of 'em..."

Bailey sighed. "I'll do it. I never did like this job."

Cody was confused. "What job? Catch one of what?"

"The chicken for dinner tomorrow night. Looks like I have to go behead it before Grammy can clean it. Mom usually does it because the person who does it can't be the same person who feeds them. They'd go crazy every time they saw her if it was."

Cody smiled. "Let me do it, Bails."

Eunice looked at him. "You sure, Cody? You ever done anything like this before?"

"Well, there were some rats in the ship's bilge and some guinea pigs for Esteban's wedding." He grinned again. "Besides...I owe those chickens some payback!"

__To be Continued...__

**AN: Some specifics that you might be wondering. I'm treating this like it was an actual 4th season, so I've 'ordered' twenty five episodes. And, my goal is to post on Wednesdays and sometime on the weekend. The way I've figured it, the first season finale will be posted on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Anyways, whether or not there will be a season two will be based on my ratings. And to me, ratings are reviews and the stories traffic numbers. Right now, both are looking well, so I think there will be a season 2. I must admit, some things might look similar to other stories, but I'm trying to put whole new spins on things. So, new things will be happening here, and new cast members will be added as well as the return of some old favorites for cameos. Now that I have gotten all of that out, I'm going to take a page out of the Simpsons playbook. After I post Chapter 14, I'm going to put a blind poll up on my profile page (I don't want anyone else but me to know the results lol). Based on the results of that poll, it will greatly effect how I write Season 2 of SLOC. Okay, that's it. I'm done. And thank you all for bearing with me and reading all of this.**__  
><em>_


	14. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

_Episode 14_

__"The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Kettlecorn__

Christmas Eve was spent over at Bailey's oldest sister's house. Once again, Cody was exposed to the whole Picket family. And once again, by the time the evening was over, it stung when he sat down. Of course, Bailey continued to shake her head and laugh about it. Fortunately, the dinner was cut short as everyone had to head to the Pickett's small church for a midnight candlelight service. By the time it was over, it was rapidly approaching midnight, and it was time for everyone to head home.

As Cody was getting comfortable on the couch once again, Bailey came downstairs to say goodnight to him.

"Don't worry. Tomorrow morning won't be that bad. All my nieces and nephews will wake up at their houses trying to find out what Santa brought them. It won't be chaos around here until noon or so."

Cody smiled. "According to little Gracie, she's already my niece as well..."

Bailey smiled back. "Not yet you aren't. I don't see a ring on my finger."

"Emphasis on the word yet..."

"I know." She teased him. "But while my niece may think of you as her uncle, I'm not quite ready to call Zack my brother-in-law yet..."

Cody laughed. "I can completely understand that."

She sighed. "Well, I guess I should say goodnight to you now before Daddy checks to make sure I'm in my room."

"Probably a good idea. He still seems to like me, and I don't want to do anything to send me back to square one again."

"I know he does, Sweetie. But, if it makes you feel better, you have all of the Pickett family women won over." She smiled. "One in particular..."

He smiled. "I always did like Grammy Pickett."

Bailey elbowed him. "I was talking about me!"

"I know." He leaned in and kissed her. "Goodnight, Boo Boo. And Merry Christmas."

"Marry Christmas to you too, Cody Bear." She looked over and grinned. She went over and grabbed a sprig of mistletoe. "You know what this means right?"

Cody grinned too. "That I'm getting my first Christmas present early?"

__Boston__

Christmas morning finally arrived in Boston as well. After opening presents, Zack, Carey and Mimi sat around the kitchen table having breakfast. As she sipped her coffee, Mimi turned to Zack.

"So, having a good Christmas so far?"

He held his fork and paused. "Its been different. I mean, its better than last year when I actually had to work. But the gifts have been so more...grown up."

Carey laughed. "Well, you are a grown up now."

"I know, but last year, I got a jet pack. This year, I got more work clothes and a briefcase with my initials on them. Oh, and new underwear and socks."

"Zack...you needed those last two. I had to use a pair of tongs to throw your old ones out. "

He sighed. "I know, but still..."

Mimi smiled at him. "Well, all of your gifts haven't gotten here yet. Maybe your brother got you something you'll find more...fun than practical."

Zack just looked at her. "From Cody? Something fun? I seriously doubt that. Especially this year. He and Bailey did their shopping together. I'm fully expecting to get a Yale sweatshirt or something."

Carey shook her head. "Well, I'd be proud to get a sweatshirt that said something like 'Proud Yale Mom' on it."

Zack was about to say something when there was a knock at the door. When he got up to answer it, Skippy, the weekend manager was standing there.

"Hey, Zack. A package arrived a couple of days ago with a note to deliver it to you today. Here you go and Merry Christmas."

Zack thanked him and grinned on his way back over to the table. "I knew something good was going to come. I bet Dad got me that new ultra bloody video game!"

Mimi rolled her eyes while Carey just shook her head. "Is it from your Dad?"

Zack opened the package only to find another wrapped package underneath. He checked the card. "Its from..." He paused. "...Maya."

__Kettlecorn__

With Grammy, Clyde, Eunice, their three youngest daughters Sophie, Daphne, and Amy, Bailey and Cody all around the Christmas tree, presents were exchanged. And like Zack predicted, Grammy, Clyde and Eunice all got Yale sweatshirts. Of course, Cody and Bailey picked out things for her sisters that they thought they would like better. And of course everyone had to laugh when the Picketts gave Cody his own starter tool box.

He even laughed. "Am I allowed to use this without Bailey's supervision?"

She smiled at him. "No. You're not. You're not ready yet."

When all the presents were exchanged, everyone went to do their own things. Cody and Bailey were sitting on the couch relaxing when Cody turned to her. "You ready for your final gift from me?"

She was surprised. "There's more?"

He just grinned. "Uh huh."

"Cody..."

"How about we go for a walk? Its not snowing, and I'd like a little privacy when I give it to you."

Bailey looked at him kind of funny, but she nodded. "Alright..."

After grabbing their coats, Cody and Bailey headed out and began walking through the farm. Finally, when they were far enough out, Bailey stopped them.

"Okay, Cody. What's up? Why did you want us to be alone?" She smiled. "Not that I'm complaining."

Cody collected himself. "Bails...you remember the talk we had when you said you didn't need a ring to know how I felt about you and us?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I remember."

He reached into his pocket and his fingers gripped an object inside of it. "And I know I told you I was still looking for the perfect ring for you and that I would give it to you someday."

"I know."

"Well, when London told us what she saw in her mirror, I knew there was no way I was going to let nine more years pass us by..."

Bailey was starting to put the pieces together. "Cody..."

"And Bails, I'm still saving and searching, but until then, I want you to have..." He pulled a small box out of his pocket and opened it. "...this."

Bailey's eyes went wide. "Cody! Its...its...gorgeous!"

He smiled at her. "Probably why it reminded me of you when I saw it."

Cody slipped the ring out of the box and took Bailey's left hand with his free hand. He looked into her eyes. "May I?"

Bailey looked back at him. And she knew that he was asking more than just to put the ring on her finger. She smiled at him. "I already told you I'd say 'yes'."

He slid the ring on to her finger. "I know they call these promise rings, but I want you to know what I'm promising you with it. I promise you when the time is right, I'll replace this one with one that is truly worthy of you. I promise you that my love for you will grow every day for the rest of my life. I promise you that I am yours and yours alone for the rest of my days. And I promise you that I will spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you make me."

She smiled. "I don't have a ring for you, but all those promises you made go double for me. I love you, Cody."

"I love you too, Bails."

She leaned in to kiss him, and she was mere millimeters away from from touching his lips with hers when she heard something.

"Don't even think about it, Little Feller!"

__Boston__

Zack continued staring at the gift in his hands. Knowing it was from Maya, he didn't know whether to open it or not.

"Zack?"

He turned to look at his grandmother. "Huh?"

"Open it. I know she's in Africa, but I seriously doubt she sent you a poisonous snake. And from the look on your face, I know that's what you are thinking."

Zack sighed and tore into the present. Lifting the top and peeling away the packing material, he found a mask of some sort. He lifted it up and just stared at it.

"What is this?"

Carey spoke up. "Maybe there is something else in the box that will explain it?"

He nodded and looked back into the box. And that's when he saw the envelope with his name on it. With trepidation, he picked it up and opened it. Pulling out a sheet of paper, he began reading it.

__Dear Zack,__

__I'm sure you're wondering what the mask is exactly. Well, the locals tell me it is the mask of a local, for lack of a better word, spirit. They say he is generally a very noble and good spirit but is a notorious prankster. Supposedly, he just likes having fun and never intends any real harm. When I was told about him, I immediately thought of you.__

__I know your probably a little surprised to hear from me again after the way we ended things. While I've been busy here, I've had a lot of time to think as well. And a lot of what I think about is that last day we had together. I don't know if it means anything to you now, but I wish I could have that day to do over again. But I know that's not possible. Call me scared if you want to, but I was. We had only been going out for about seven months, and I didn't know if we had enough of a basis to attempt a long distance relationship. To be honest, I didn't think you would want to. But when I saw your face that day, I knew I had made a mistake.__

__I know I have no right to ask this of you after what I did, but I'm taking a huge chance here. Zack, I'm asking you to forgive me for what I did. I might not deserve it, but I have to try. Being a whole world away, I thought I was going to be doing good in the world. And I guess I am, but its hard to think I am when I'm so torn up inside. I feel completely useless over here, and for me, its like I'm sinking in quick sand and can't do anything about it. Oh, and trust me, I've learned all about quicksand over here. I would highly recommend avoiding it.__

__And I know I said it would be hard to keep in contact with me while I was over here. Turns out I was wrong about that too. It seems every couple of weeks I have someone sending me updates about what everyone is up to. I know Woody and Addison are at college somewhere together in the midwest. I'm not sure where exactly, but I'm happy for them. And I know Cody did end up getting into Yale and that he and Bailey are together and stronger than ever. I'm happy for them too. But the fact is, I was never really all that close with any of them. The only person I was really close with was you.__

__And Zack, I am so proud of you. I hear you are working for Moseby again while taking classes at a local community college in Boston. When I read that, I almost cried I was so proud of you. I always knew you had potential, and I'm glad to see you living up to it. You took a chance, and its paying off for you.__

__I should stop trying to avoid what I really want to say now. The thing is, Zack...I really do miss you. I think about you every day. I think...I think I'm in love with you. What's the old saying? You don't know what you've got until its gone? Well, trust me, that is 100% true. And now that I don't have you anymore, I know what I truly lost. So, what I'm trying to say...what I'm trying to ask is...is it too late for us to have a second chance? We've both seen with Cody and Bailey that if two people truly care about each other, they can overcome their obstacles. Can that be us too?__

__All I ask is that you don't make any rash decisions right after reading this. Please. Think about what I've said. I hope to see you again soon, and I mean real soon. Until then, I just want to tell you again...I love you.__

__Maya__

Zack finished reading the letter and just slumped down into his chair. This was the last thing he had expected right now.

__Kettlecorn__

Bailey's eyes opened in an instant at hearing those words. And what followed seemed like it was happening in slow motion. Cody was jerked away from her, and in the next instant, he was lifted up into the air like he was weightless and tossed to the side. Immediately, she turned to where he landed and moved to head over to his side. But before she could take a step, she felt a hand grab her wrist. Turning, she got her first look at Moose.

"Moose! What the feathers do you think you're doing?"

He began to try to drag her away. "I'm getting you away from that no good city slicker! That's what I'm doing! Now follow me, and I'll get you back to your house safe and sound!"

Bailey dug her heels in to try to stop him. "Let go of me! I'm not going anywhere with you! I have to see if Cody is okay!"

"Bailey, I'm trying to protect you from him! Can't you see that?"

She just stared at him in ager. "Protect me from what? Cody is the last person in the world I need to be protected from. You on the other hand..." Bailey lifted her foot and brought it down hard on Moose's foot. The instant surge of pain and his surprise at her action caused him to let go of her wrist. And immediately, she turned and headed over to Cody's side. Kneeling down, she grabbed his hand to pull him up. But that's when she heard Cody cry out in pain.

"Ouch! Don't pull on my hand!"

Bailey gasped and tried to help him sit up. "Cody! Are you okay? What's wrong with your hand?"

Cody grimaced. "When I landed, I stuck my hand out to brace me. I think I jammed my wrist when I landed."

She nodded. "Okay. Lets get you back to the house and I'll take a closer look at it."

Cody just nodded, but Moose stepped over to tower over them.

"Bailey, I'm not letting you go anywhere with him! He's no good!"

She shook her head. "And why not? What has Cody ever done to you to warrant you attacking him from behind like a coward?"

"Its about what he's doing to you! Bailey, he's two timing you with some girl in Boston behind your back!"

Bailey looked up at Moose. And then she began laughing. "Moose, there is no way in the world I would believe that. I know my Cody. He would never do anything like that!"

Moose smirked back at her. "Oh no? Well, I have proof!"

Cody had been focusing on his throbbing wrist, but he looked up when he heard that. "Proof? How can you have proof of something that's completely untrue?" He turned to Bailey. "Bails, I..."

She smiled and cut him off. "You don't have to say anything to me. I might have been stupid once, but I know better now. I know he is making this all up."

Moose rolled his eyes. "If I'm making this up, why don't you ask Cody about the conversation I overheard him having on his phone down at the general store on Friday?"

Cody frowned. "On my phone down at the general store? But I wasn't talking to..." He paused when he realized what Moose was talking about. He smirked back up at Moose. "Alright, Moose, did this so called girl have a name?"

"Yeah! Her name was Mimi! You even said you loved her and was looking forward to seeing her when you got back to Boston. Then I heard you tell Bailey you had a surprise for her. You were going to introduce her to the girl you've messing about with!"

Bailey turned to Cody and smiled again. "Is that what you said?"

Cody smiled back. "Yeah. That was what I said. That was the surprise I had for you back in Boston. Turns out she was able to get away from Seattle, and you were finally going to meet Mimi."

"Well, I can't wait to finally meet her."

Moose was confused and looked back and forth between them. "What are you talking about, Bailey? You want to meet this other woman? Has being up north fried your brain?"

She turned and smirked at Moose. "Not at all. Mimi is Cody's GRANDMOTHER! I've been wanting to meet her for a long time. And he and his brother call her Mimi because her real first name is Miriam. When they were younger, it was hard for them to say that name, and it came out Mimi. As for what else he said, darn him for having the audacity for telling his grandmother that he loved her. I guess I'm a bad person too. I tell my Grammy that I love her every time I talk to her too!"

Moose just stood there not knowing what to say exactly. It was dawning on him that he had completely screwed up the situation. "Oh..."

Bailey glared at him again. "Oh? All you can say is 'oh'? You might have seriously injured Cody because you...because you..." She paused. "I don't even know why you did just did what you did."

He hemmed and hawed. "Like I said. I was trying to protect you. I was trying to do the best thing for you. I thought getting you away from him was the right thing to do. I was just trying to take care of you..."

"You couldn't have confronted us like a civilized person and explained what you heard and gave Cody a chance to explain it without acting like a caveman?"

Moose sighed. "That never occurred to me. No matter what you think, to me, you'll always be my girl, and I did what I thought I had to do..."

That was the breaking point for Bailey. It was no more Miss Nice Girl. She stood up and got in Moose's face. And if looks could kill..

"Who do YOU think you are? You aren't my protector! You have no idea what the best thing for me is! You weren't trying to take care of me! You were trying to do the best thing for YOU! You probably had some delusion that I would dump Cody on the spot and run back into your arms! Well, listen to me - NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN! And one more thing, I am most definitely NOT your girl!"

Moose leaned back in surprise at her outburst. "But...but..."

"You know, I was trying to be nice down in the storm shelter. I was trying to avoid an awkward situation. I can see now that that was a mistake. I should have been honest. Moose, I find you to be an overbearing, controlling, misogynistic jerk who I have absolutely nothing in common with!"

He just stared at her. "You don't mean that!"

"I mean every word! Moose, you were always trying to tell me what to do or tell me what was right for me. You didn't think I could take care of myself. Well, you were wrong! I've proven I can take care of myself and that I know what's best for me! And what's best for me is Cody! He and I can both be very stubborn and hardheaded, but we both love each other heart and soul." She showed him her hand. "Before you interrupted us, Cody gave me this promise ring. With it, he promised me that one day that he would ask me to marry him. And I promised him that I would say yes when he did!"

"But Bailey...Why would you do that?"

She was incredulous. "Hello? Did you not hear me say that I love him? Cody is my perfect feller in every way. He treats me as his equal in every way. He doesn't think I'm his property he can try to push around...unlike someone I know. He only wants the best for me. And he is what is the best for me. He's what I've been waiting my whole life for." She paused. "I just didn't know he was out there until I was 15, and I settled before. Now that I have him, I'll never give him up."

Moose just looked at her for a moment trying to come to grips with everything she had said. Her words had stung. "You've changed, Bailey..."

She laughed. "Yeah, I have. Its called growing up. I'm not the same person you once knew." She began laughing. "Heck, you didn't even really know me then. All you knew was who you wanted me to be. Well, that person has never existed and will never exist. So, you should learn to deal with that." She paused. "At first, you just made me angry, but now, I feel sorry for you. I hope you're learning something today. You can't treat people like property. You have to learn to respect them and the choices they make. You might not like them, but if you care about them, you have to accept them. You have no right to try to dictate to others how they live their lives. And just because Cody wasn't born around here, it doesn't mean he's a bad person. He's never treated me like property or told me what to do. But even though he treats me as an equal, I do belong to Cody like I know he does belong to me. There is a big difference in belonging to someone and trying to possess them. Its time you moved on with your life, Moose."

Moose realized that Bailey had truly moved on with her life, and he didn't like that one bit. "Well, it certainly looks like you have! I definitely don't like this new you, Bailey!"

Bailey was about to rip him a new one when she felt an arm go around her waist to hold her in place. She turned and saw Cody looking at her.

She sighed. "Cody..."

He just smiled at her. "Bails, are you okay?"

She couldn't help but smile back. "I think I had been carrying that around in me for so long, it all just finally came out. But I should be asking you how you are? How's your wrist?"

"A little sore, but I'll live."

"Come on. Let's get you back to the house, and I'll tend to it. Its Christmas, so we won't be able to get you to the doctor until tomorrow unfortunately."

"I don't think I need to see a doctor..."

Bailey just looked at Cody. "I'm not taking any chances. I'm taking you to the doctor tomorrow. If for no other reason, will you just humor me?"

He smiled. "For you, I would do anything."

She smiled back. "Thank you." She turned to Moose. "I'll have Dr. Miller send you the bill of course."

Moose just glared at her. "What? I'm not paying for him to go to the doctor! Not my fault he's fragile!"

Bailey smirked once again. "Oh, you'll agree to pay for it, or I'll be calling the sheriff to have you arrested. Do you want to spend Christmas night in the town jail? You're 18 now too. That means you being tried as an adult, and as you actually assaulted both of us, you're looking at maybe 18 months in jail."

That really surprised him. "You wouldn't!"

"I would! You hurt Cody. Anyone who does that has to suffer my wrath. So, your choice – the bill or a cell?"

Moose was fuming. "Fine! I'll pay for it. But don't think this is over!"

Bailey turned to Cody. "Come on, Sweetie, lets get you back home." She paused to turn to Moose. "And if you ever try to cause harm to either Cody or I ever again, don't forget I know how to neuter a bull with my bare hands! I mean it. No one messes with my feller and gets away with it!"

__Boston__

Carey and Mimi just looked at Zack as he stared off into the distance thinking.

"Zack, are you alright?"

He turned and looked at his Mom. "Yeah. I am. Seems like Maya wants me back."

Carey paused. "So, what are you going to do?"

Zack paused and smiled. He genuinely smiled. "She knows where I am. If she wants me back, I won't be hard to find. But until then, I'm going to live my life. I mean really live it. Its time for me to get my life out of neutral and put it back into drive. No...make that overdrive!"

__To be Continued...__

**AN: Mea culpa. This should have been posted last night, but I fell asleep. I will have the poll on my profile page up hopefully soon. After this chapter, you can probably guess what it will be about. As for my other stories people have asked about, sorry about that. I have writer's block and where I want to go next with them. I'll try to figure it out soon.**


	15. The Sprain Game

_Episode 15_

__"The Sprain Game"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Kettlecorn__

When Cody and Bailey got back to the house, Bailey immediately pulled Cody (by his good hand) into the kitchen to get a good look at his wrist. And as she was examining it, Eunice looked over from checking the stove and frowned.

"Bailey. What are you doing? What's wrong with Cody's wrist?"

Cody spoke up. "I...ummm...slipped while we were outside and jammed my wrist when I landed."

Bailey continued checking Cody's wrist but spoke up as she did. "What Cody means to say is that Moose got stupid again and attacked him from behind..."

"Moose did what?"

Everyone looked up to see Clyde standing at the kitchen door with a look of shock on his face. Bailey sighed. "I'll tell you the whole story in a minute. But first, I need to take care of Cody's wrist." She looked at him. "How does it feel when you move it?"

Cody tried moving his wrist around. "Well, its a little tender, but I don't think its broken. I've broken bones before, and I don't feel the same kind of pain."

Bailey got up to get the icepack and returned next to Cody. "Hold this on your wrist for thirty minutes to keep down any swelling. But I'm still taking you to the doctor tomorrow just to be on the safe side." She looked up at her parents who were in turn watching her. "As for what happened..." She then explained their run-in with Moose.

Clyde didn't know what to say, but Eunice was shaking here head and frowning. "I can't believe that boy. Attacking someone from behind is something a coward would do. But it sounds like you really let him have it and hit him where it hurts the most - his ego."

Bailey shrugged. "I was just honest with him. If he doesn't like it, oh well. Not my problem or concern."

Clyde still hadn't said anything, but he finally spoke up. "We should call the sheriff. He won't be happy about having to work on Christmas, but..."

"No need, Daddy. I told Moose we'd send the doctor's bill to him. I told him that if he didn't pay it, I'd call the sheriff myself and make sure he ended up in jail. He wasn't happy, but he reluctantly agreed."

He just shook his head. "I just can't believe he would do that. You think you know someone, but I guess he wasn't who I thought he was." He shrugged. "Anyways, I'm just glad you two weren't hurt any worse."

Eventually, Bailey wrapped Cody's wrist in an ace bandage and fashioned a makeshift sling for him to elevate his wrist above his heart. Cody objected the entire time that it wasn't necessary, but one look from Bailey shut him up.

Clyde just laughed at that. "Cody...You're already learning that arguing back with your woman gets you nowhere."

Eunice just laughed too. "It only took Clyde over twenty years with me to learn that. Well, Cody, its a good thing everything was prepared yesterday, and all we had to do today is just put stuff in the oven. We both are down a wing now..."

Cody nodded and smiled. "True, and at least its both of our left hands, so it could be a lot worse." He winked at Bailey. "Its good thing our ping pong season is already over, huh?"

Bailey laughed. "Good point." She then paused. "And if its serious, I'm putting you on the disabled list for hockey when we get back."

"But Bails, I don't think its that bad." He sighed.

Bailey placed her hands on his face. "I'm not taking any chances. Do it for me?"

He sighed. "You know I would do anything for you."

And that's when Eunice noticed it. And the 'it' would be the ring on Bailey's finger. Her eyes went wide and she began freaking out. "Oh my gosh! Bailey! On your finger! Is that a...a...a..."

Bailey looked over at her Mom and smiled. "Its not that yet, Mom. Its a promise ring Cody gave me. Its a promise that when the time is right, another ring will take this one's place."

Eunice took a deep breath to calm down. "Well, Congratulations to you both. I like that idea. I wish a lot more people would take that approach." She laughed. "Not that I didn't see it coming though with you two. I'm really happy for you."

Cody laughed too. "Thank you, Eunice. I guess I'll know when I do it for real to wear pads and a helmet."

Clyde came back into kitchen, and immediately Eunice told him the news. He just looked over at Cody. "So, you finally gave it to Bailey, huh? I kind of figured that's why you wanted to go for a walk."

Bailey turned to Cody in surprise. "You told Daddy what you were going to do?"

Cody smiled. "I did. I remember you telling me your older sister's husbands went to him to ask for his blessing. I know this isn't quite the same thing, but I didn't want to break the spirit of the tradition."

Clyde grinned. "And I appreciated that. The next time, you can just give me a call to forewarn me. I figure I only need to grill you out in the barn once." He paused. "I don't think I'll need to remind you again what will happen to you if you hurt my daughter."

"No, sir. I promise I'll never intentionally hurt Bailey." He exhaled. "Wow...that's a bunch of promises I've made today." He laughed. "I should write them down so I remember them..."

Everyone laughed at that, and with everyone in a good mood, Bailey smiled to herself and decided this was a good time to break her other news to her parents. She figured everyone's good mood would hopefully soften the blow. So, she cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.

"Well, while we're all telling things, its my turn. Momma and Daddy, there's something I need to tell you." And that's when she explained to her parents the amazing opportunity she had been offered for the summer with the Tipton Clinic in Boston. She also explained how good it would look on her medical school application in a few years.

Clyde and Eunice looked at each other in surprise when Bailey finished. Finally, Clyde shrugged, and Eunice turned to Bailey. "This would be huge for you, wouldn't it? I mean for getting into medical school."

Bailey nodded. "Yes, Momma. It would put me ahead of the curve. And I would already have a place to stay in Boston with London. Plus, I'll have Carey Martin around to keep an eye on me. And London said she would make sure I got back home at least one weekend a month. So, I'll still be here a lot. I'll actually be home more often then when I'm at school."

Clyde spoke up, but his eyes were focused on Cody. "Would you keep an eye on my little Bailey for us? Would you make sure she's taken care of while she's up there?"

Cody nodded. "Absolutely. And she'll be safe. The only place I can think of that has better security than London's penthouse is Fort Knox." He paused. "Probably because it has a few more gold bars there..."

Eunice spoke to him next. "And would your mother mind watching out for Bailey?"

Cody smiled. "Not at all. My Mom loves having Bailey around. She knows I'll be on my best behavior when she is."

Eunice and Clyde looked at each other again. "Well, we know this is a big opportunity, and we just want what is best for you. I guess this would be like the boat. Its something you just can't pass up. Go for it, Bailey. You just make sure you do come home once a month though."

Bailey got up and hugged her parents. "Oh, I will! And thank you both so much!"

Before long, the rest of the Pickett family showed up for Christmas dinner. And after they found out what happened earlier, it wouldn't be 24 hours before the rest of Kettlecorn knew what happened. Bailey's aunt even went to post something about it on her large spider web. Fortunately, the women in Bailey's family took it easy on Cody figureing he'd been through enough, and he wasn't subjected to even more pinches. Of course, that also could have been because Bailey wasn't leaving his side and constantly fussing over him.

The next morning, Bailey loaded up Cody in their rental car and took him to Dr. Miller. Naturally, she was surprised when he gave Cody an x-ray and MRI because as of a year ago, he had neither of those machines. When she asked when he got all of his new equipment, he just smiled and said he had really good tornado insurance. Turns out Cody was right in that it wasn't broken – it was just a medium sprain. While no ligaments were torn, they had been stretched pretty good. So, he fitted Cody with a molded half cast and wrapped up his wrist in another ace bandage to keep it immobile. And then the doctor gave Cody the x-ray and MRI results so he could take them to Yale Medical Services when he got back to campus. Further, he told Cody that he should avoid anything that could further damage his wrist for about two months so that it could heal properly. And that's when Bailey told Cody hockey was definitely out until the next year.

When they got back to the house, Clyde and Eunice saw the cast and we're concerned. But Cody just smiled and said he felt fine. Of course, it didn't hurt that he was given some fairly strong pain killers.

"I don't use my left wrist much anyways. My right wrist has always been the much stronger one..."

Bailey thought nothing of what he said, but Clyde and Eunice just looked at each other trying not to laugh. They just turned back to Cody to give him a look.

Cody sighed. "Why does everyone give me that same look when I say that? I use my right hand to adjust my microscope."

__Boston__

The next few days in Boston were good ones for Zack. With his new decision about what to do, he felt much better about himself and where his life was going. Working on that Tuesday and Wednesday didn't bother him either, and for the first time, he noticed some of the women in the office giving him smiles and flirting with him. He just laughed, shook his head and went on with way wondering why he hadn't noticed that before.

On the 29th, he had the day off, but he did have something to do that day. Seems airport pickup was one of his new jobs, and he headed out to pick up Cody and Bailey a little after 1:00 that afternoon. And when he saw them arrive at the baggage area, he immediately noticed the cast on his brother's arm.

Zack shook his head. "Hurt yourself again, Broseph?" He laughed. "I swear, that farm might end up killing you..."

Cody slumped his shoulders and sighed. "Something like that."

Bailey yawned. "Lets get our bags and we'll tell you the whole story in the car."

Zack just looked back and forth at them. "What's wrong with you two?"

"We're both exhausted. Our flight left Wichita at 6:20 AM which means we had to be there by 5:00AM. And that means we left my house in Kettlecorn at 2:30 this morning to make sure we got there in time. We took a nap yesterday afternoon, but we're both a little worn out."

Zack nodded and turned around. He headed to the Starbucks kiosk and returned with two large cups. "Here...drink these."

Cody and Bailey just grabbed the drinks and began drinking them. The instant caffeine surge shot a jolt through the both of them that the both sorely needed. Cody shook his head and looked at his brother. "Thanks, Zack." He paused. "That was nice of you."

"Yeah, well, you guys took care of me over Halloween. Just returning the favor. Besides, I'm in a good mood and feeling generous."

"Oh yeah? What brought this on?"

Zack grinned. "I'll tell you in the car."

Thirty minutes later, they had gathered all of Cody and Bailey's bags and made their way out to Zack's car. And once they were out of the parking lot, Cody and Bailey began telling him of their Christmas morning altercation with Moose.

Zack shook his head. "Let me get this straight. You two are pretty much engaged to be engaged right now?"

Bailey nodded. "Basically, yeah."

He shook his head and laughed. "Yeah, no one saw that coming..." When he could feel both of them glaring at him, he stopped laughing. "So, Moose overheard you talking to Mimi and thought you were talking to another girl. So, he blindsided you, picked you up and tossed you to the ground like you were a rag doll?"

Cody sighed. "Pretty much..."

"Why didn't you get up and use that stupid move on him that you used to use on me?"

"Because by the time I got up, Bailey was verbally ripping him a new one."

Bailey let out a little laugh at that. "Yeah, I got pretty wound up. But no one does that to my Cody Bear."

Zack shook his head and mumbled. "Note to self. Mess with Cody anymore and have to deal with Bailey."

Cody overheard him and laughed. "Anyways, I thought I had to hold her back before she physically hurt him."

"Well, Mom's going to freak out that her baby boy is hurt. She still likes to remind me of the time I fell on to you and broke your leg."

Bailey paused and frowned. "Think she'll blame me for what happened to you?"

Cody took her hand with his good one. "Not a chance. You had nothing to do with it at all."

"I hope so..." She sighed. "And this is a perfect way for me to meet your grandmother for the first time..."

He smiled. "Bails, Mimi is going to love you. I just know she will..."

She smiled back. "You really think so?"

Zack looked at them in the rear view mirror and shook his head. "How about we get back to my story now that you've finished yours?"

"Okay, Zack. What happened to you?"

Zack proceeded to tell them about the present dropped off for him on Christmas morning. And then he told them about the letter was inside of the box.

Bailey paused. "Well, that would explain how she knew Cody was at Yale. I wonder who has been keeping her updated?"

Cody paused to think too. "So, is that why you're in such a good mood, Zack? Because Maya wants you back?"

Zack laughed. "Well, that's part of it. I had kept thinking what I had done something wrong, and I finally found out that it wasn't me! That took a huge load off of my mind."

Bailey spoke up. "So, do you think you two will be getting back together?"

Zack shrugged. "Who knows? She's still in Africa for another year and a half. That's a long time to wait, and I have no intention of putting my life on pause until then. I'm going to live my life."

"But what if she does return to get you back?"

"That's her choice. If she does come back, we'll see what happens."

Cody paused. "Are you sure this is what you want to do, Zack?"

"Of course. And if she does come back, it will be her turn to jump through some hoops. You remember everything she put me through?"

Cody sighed. "I remember. You even stole my six month plan...except you tried to do everything in six hours."

Zack shook his head. "Yeah, that was a disaster. The plan was terrible. If I didn't see the ring on Bailey's finger, I would say there was no way it would have ever worked in the first place."

A little while later, Zack pulled into the Tipton parking garage. Cody and Bailey gathered their bags, and fortunately, Cody could pull his on rollers. I few minutes later, they were in the elevator up to the penthouse for Bailey to drop off her things. But she winked and Cody to drop off his things too, and they would see if he could pull guard duty again. Zack just shook his head when heard that. A few minutes later, they were back down on the 23rd floor and walking into the Martin suite. And when they got there, both Carey and Mimi were reading magazines on the couch. And when they saw the door open, both were up immediately. Carey hugged them both before Mimi engulfed Cody in a hug.

"So good to see you again, Cody!"

"Good to see you again too, Mimi. And Mimi, this is this girl of my dreams, Bailey Pickett."

Bailey smiled. "Its a pleasure to meet you, Ma'am."

Mimi just nodded before circling Bailey slowly looking her up and down. Bailey was taken aback, and Cody was shocked. "Mimi! What are you doing?"

She began laughing. "Oh, just teasing you both." She hugged Bailey. "Its a pleasure to finally meet you too, Bailey. After reading all of Cody's letters, I feel like I already know you. And please, call me Mimi."

Of course, it was right then that Carey noticed the cast on Cody's arm. "Cody! What happened to your arm?"

"Ummm...Long story, Mom."

She just looked at him. "I'm your mother. I have time."

Sighing, Cody and Bailey once again told Carey and Mimi about their Christmas morning and then their encounter with Moose. Bailey then told them about taking Cody to the doctor and of the doctor's instructions.

Carey didn't know what to think exactly. She thought Cody's gesture was incredibly sweet and romantic, but at the same time, she wanted a few words with this Moose guy. Mimi, on the other hand, was laughing.

"Well, Cody, it sure looks like you got yourself a feisty one here in Bailey."

Bailey blushed a little bit. "Well, anyone who messes with my Cody has to deal with me."

Mimi smiled. "I like that. I like knowing Cody has someone like you taking care of him. And with that ring on your finger, Bailey, I'd like to welcome you to the family."

Bailey smiled. "Thank you, Mimi."

"No, thank you. It does a grandmother good to know that her grandsons are both happy. And from what I can see, both are happy. I'm very proud of them both."

"Well, Cody makes me happy too." She paused. "I have to admit. I was hoping you liked me. My Grammy adores Cody, so..."

Mimi smiled again. "I know exactly what you mean. I remember hoping that Cody's Grandpa's family would like me. Thankfully, they did, and I remember how much easier that made things. I'm happy to do the same for you." She paused. "Of course, then again, there is the fact that Kurt and I never got along, but we don't have to talk about that..."

As it was lunch time, everyone decided to go out to grab something. And through lunch and the rest of the afternoon, Mimi and Bailey got to know each other better. Later that afternoon, it was time for the 2nd Christmas for the Martin family. And like Zack had previously, Cody and Bailey both opened up gifts that were highly practical and 'grown up'. But they both loved them.

Bailey smiled. "Thank you, Carey. These wool socks will come in handy. Cody tells me that New England winters usually wait to get bad until January and February."

Carey smiled back. "You are very welcome, Bailey."

When Zack got to his gift from his brother and Bailey, he was kind of dreading what was inside of it. But he was shocked to see it was a copy of the new Call of Duty video game. His eyes went wide.

"How did you two know I wanted this?"

Cody laughed. "Zack...Turns out I'm not the only Martin twin who talks in his sleep about what he wants."

Zack got up to hug both of them. "Thanks, Guys...I'm going to go play this right now!" And with that Zack ran over to the TV to set up his game system.

Cody and Bailey just shook there heads and laughed. Carey turned to them. "What did Zack get you guys?"

Cody smiled. "A gift card to the Olive Garden and movie theater passes."

Carey paused and sighed. "Oh..."

Bailey laughed. "Actually, we're pleasantly surprised. We were fearing the worst, but he actually just paid for us to have a night out on the town."

A little while later, Zack was still playing his video game while Carey was off at rehearsal and Mimi went to her room to take a nap. So, Cody and Bailey just sat at the kitchen table sipping hot chocolates.

"So, what do you really think of Zack's plan regarding Maya?"

Cody paused. "I don't know. I mean, its his life afterall. And he does seem happy about it."

"True. It just seems like we leave New England for a few days, and everything goes crazy."

He smiled. "Bails, its not like everything that happened to us in Kettlecorn was all that carefree..." He held up his left arm. "Enough evidence for you?"

She laughed. "Okay, it has been kind of wild all around. Is it bad I'm looking forward to heading back to school next Thursday so we can return to some normalcy?"

"I hope not...because I am too." He grinned. "But for a different reason. Being around our families, its been hard to get time alone with you."

She took his hand in her. "I know. And the one time we actually did, Moose happened, and you're in a temporary cast."

"Oh well. Probably for the best. I probably would have sucked trying to play hockey again anyways."

"I doubt that. I bet you would have been amazing."

He smiled. "well, I appreciate that, but, Sweetie, you're wrong."

She smiled too. "I guess you'll just have to play co-ed softball with me in the spring then."

"Maybe I will." He laughed. "I can keep the bench warm for you."

She shook her head. "How about we change the subject? How about we discuss what classes we want to take next semester?"

"Well, I can grab my blue book and you can grab your laptop. We'll head up to London's penthouse so we can spread out."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

Cody was about to say something but a yawn just came out. "Is it just me, or has today been an incredibly long day?"

Bailey checked her watch and laughed. "Well, we have been awake for eighteen hours and traveled halfway across the country. I think we've earned being a little tired."

"Think I can talk Mom into letting me do guard duty tonight? I know we can't tomorrow because Tut will be staying with you and London."

She grinned. "Well, we could take it out of her hands again. I guarantee if we spread out on the couch with all of our materials, there's a good chance we fall asleep on the couch."

He grinned right back at her. "Mimi is right...you are feisty."

"You know it, Cody Bear. Come on. Let's go!"

Cody grabbed his blue book, and both were set to head up to the penthouse. But when they opened the door to head out, they were shocked to see two people standing there about to knock.

"Hey! Its Cailey!"

Cody and Bailey looked at each other and then back at their two visitors. "Woody? Addison?"

__To be Continued...__

____**AN: Just a reminder, the poll question is up on my profile. If you want a say in what happens in Season 2, make sure to vote.**


	16. An Union and a Reunion

_Episode 16_

__"An Union and a Reunion"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

__Martin Suite__

Cody and Bailey just stared at their friends standing in the doorway. There they were – Woody and Addison. And both of them looked exactly like they remembered them. Well...almost. Woody was once again sporting a new hairstyle. And at both of their feet, Woody and Addison had their bags next to them.

Bailey finally spoke up. "What are you two doing here?"

Addison smiled and began speaking a little rapidly. "London flew us both in for Moseby and Tut's wedding. We landed a little while ago, and she had a car waiting for us. So, here we are!"

Cody and Bailey laughed. That made perfect sense now. "Come on in, guys. Welcome to the Boston Tipton."

Woody and Addison dragged their bags inside the suite, and that's when Zack noticed them. "Woodchuck!"

Woody headed over next to him and saw what Zack was playing. "Whoa! The new Call of Duty game! Awesome!"

"I know, right? And to think...it was a Christmas gift from Cody and Bailey. Can you believe that?"

Woody turned to Cody and Bailey and frowned. "Hurtful! I wouldn't have minded getting a copy too for Christmas!"

Cody shook his head and sighed. "Our bad. We figured you two would like us signing you up for the cheesecake of the month club. We thought it was a gift you'd both enjoy for the whole year..."

"Oh yeah...That was a good call."

Bailey turned to Addison. "So, when we got the card on Cody's birthday, we saw it was from the both of you and the return address was the University of Toledo. When did that happen?"

Addison shrugged. "It just made the most sense. I'm from Michigan, and Woody is from Cleveland. It was halfway in between for us."

"So, how do you like it so far?"

She smiled. "I really like it. I'm thinking of going into psychology. Maybe become a better school counselor than Mr. Blanket was. I know he helped me, but I thinking I can do it without creeping everyone out in the process."

Cody turned to Woody. "What about you, Woodster? How are you liking college?"

He shrugged. "Its okay. I mean, Addison and I are in the same dorm, so that's good. And after working for London, I'm thinking about Broadcast Production. I mean, I was pretty good at that."

Cody just looked at him remembering their disastrous Seven Seas High News . "Alright then...Well, how do you like your new roommate?"

Woody sighed. "He's alright I guess. I didn't realize how much I'd miss your constant cleaning of the room. I've actually had to clean up after him a few times."

Cody laughed. "Glad to see I'm missed. Maybe next year it will be the disinfectant of the month club..."

Woody rolled his eyes. "Anyways...How about your new roommate? Anything like me?"

"Actually, my roommate is my old buddy Tapeworm I've told you about."

Woody paused. "He a better roommate than me?"

Cody laughed. "Woodchuck...You are one of a kind. No one could ever replace you. For the rest of my life, I can almost guarantee I'll never have a roommate like you ever again..."

Addison turned to Bailey. "So, how are you two liking Yale?"

Bailey smiled. "We love it. It's the challenge we've been waiting for our whole lives. We can't wait for classes to start back again."

Woody grinned. "Speaking of classes..." He turned to Zack. "How did London ever convince you to give them a shot?"

Zack shook his head. "I was pretty much forced to as part of my job. But, I have to admit, they aren't that bad." He grinned. "Plus, I really think I'm going to enjoy campus more this semester. I think I'm ready to finally notice all the girls around me now..."

Woody laughed too. "Isn't this great? All of us back here together again like old times. Reunited and it feels so good."

Cody turned to him. "Well, not all of us are. London is who knows where, and Marcus isn't..."

"Marcus isn't what?"

Everyone turned to look at the door, and there stood Marcus smiling at everyone. "MARCUS!"

He grinned. "Never fear...I'm hear to make all of your lives a little more interesting!"

Everyone laughed (except Zack who said he needed an original line) and welcomed him with a hug. Bailey shook her head and smiled. "I guess London flew everybody in for the wedding."

"Looks that way..." He then turned to Cody and Bailey. "And may I say its good to see you two back together where you belong. It certainly took you long enough!"

Cody smiled. "Yeah, well...we've decided we're done being stupid."

"Glad to hear that."

Bailey spoke up. "So, how is the show going in New York?"

"Its going good. And while its going on, I'm heading back into the studio to record something new. So, life is good."

"Our turn to be glad to hear that."

Marcus glared at Bailey and Cody. "Speaking of which...I have a bone to pick with you two!"

"Us? What for?"

He smiled. "You two are in New Haven...not far from New York City. Why haven't you two come down to hang out with me yet?"

Cody smiled. "Well, we've been a little busy with school. The only time we've been to the city was for a couple hours on 9/11."

Marcus grinned. "Well, you two can make it up to me. I need your help with something."

"Name it."

"Valentine's weekend. There's this girl I'm...well...I'm trying to date her. But she thinks that since I'm a former child star that I'm not normal. Actually, it was going pretty well convincing her of that until that Beiber scandal broke, and she got leery again sending me back to the starting line" He shook his head. "I feel like killing Beiber for making all of us former child stars look like spoiled creeps. Anyways, if I can have two friends come in and show her that I am a regular, down to earth kind of guy, I think she'll give me a real chance."

Zack laughed. "And you think having her hang out with those two will show that you're normal? After meeting them, she'll probably run for the hills. I mean...besides them being boring, they're one step closer to being an old married couple"

Marcus shook his head. "Actually, I don't think so. She's a freshman at Columbia. You know, another Ivy League school. I think Cody and Bailey are exactly what I need for this."

Cody shrugged. "Just let us know what you need us to do." He turned to Bailey. "We didn't have anything already planned for Valentine's Day do we?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so." She smiled. "Don't worry, Marcus. We'll make you look good..." She paused. "...strike that. We'll make you look normal."

Marcus grinned. "I appreciate that. I'll shoot you an email in a couple of weeks when I have more details about what I have planned." He paused. "Wait a minute...What did Zack mean about you two being one step closer to being an old married couple?"

Bailey smiled and showed everyone her ring. "Cody gave me a promise ring for Christmas. Basically, we're now engaged to be engaged."

Everyone quickly congratulated them. Addison grinned. "So, tell me how he did it!"

Bailey did, but she also had to tell them about Moose attacking them almost immediately after he did.

Woody shook his head. "What a jerk!"

Marcus nodded. "I would have to agree." He turned to Cody. "First the tornado and now this. I don't think Kettlecorn is good for your health. I mean...Bailey left there with a ring on her finger and you left with a cast..."

Zack laughed. "Par for the course for the Codester..."

Cody ignored his brother and smiled. "Well, they say the third time's the charm. Hopefully, next time, I can visit there without my life being in any jeopardy."

Bailey grabbed his good hand. "You will if I have anything to say about it."

About that time, everyone heard a noise and turned to look at Woody. He looked around. "What? Its been several hours since I've eaten..."

Cody laughed. "Well, actually, we were on our way out to get something to eat. Why don't we all go out and show you around Boston a little and grab some food."

And that's what they did. They found London in the lobby, and she joined them all for a night out on the town. And while they had fun catching up with each other, as the night went on, everyone began getting a little bit tired. Especially Cody, Bailey, Addison, Woody and Marcus who had all flown into Boston that day. When they got back to the the Tipton, London had a room for Woody and Marcus to share and an extra bedroom for Addison in her penthouse. Zack was more than willing to crash with Woody and Marcus to have a boy's night. And London even convinced Carey that with three young women all alone in the penthouse, they would feel better with Cody on the couch. Carey agreed, but part of her wasn't buying that excuse for a second.

The next day was the 30th, and that meant it was time for all the last minute wedding details, the rehearsal dinner and thrown together at the last minute bachelor and bachelorette parties. As for the details, Cody and Zack had to make sure their tuxedos fit as Moseby had chosen them to be his best men. His brothers Spencer and Dwight were invited, but neither was in the wedding. There was still bad blood between Spencer and Marion, and Dwight was in Orlando playing in the strike shortened NBA season. And for Bailey and London, they had to make sure their dresses fit as Tut had chosen them to be her bridesmaids. Due to their rocky history, Tut's sister was invited but not asked to be in the wedding.

After the rehearsal dinner, everyone split up into two groups – guys and girls. The ladies would be in London's penthouse and the gentlemen would be in a suite reserved for Moseby.

__London's Penthouse__

Tut, London, Addison and Bailey were all lounging around London's penthouse in their pajamas and wearing green mud masks. They were just snacking on junk food while watching sappy romantic movies on the television. Of course, Tut was doing her best not to scratch her face.

"London, are you sure these things will work?"

London looked at her. "Of course they will. Besides, you need all the help you can get. And I'm bringing in a professional tomorrow so your makeup isn't all clowny."

Tut sighed. "Thanks, London."

Addison smiled. "So, you must be so excited to be getting married tomorrow."

Emma smiled. "I am. After tomorrow, I'll never have to listen to my mother get on my case about my personal life ever again!"

Bailey laughed. "No more trying to set you up with the loser sons of her bingo buddies?"

Tut sighed in contentment. "You know it!" Tut turned to her. "And what about you? Looks like you're next, Bailey."

She smiled. "Well, I don't know about all of that..."

London rolled her eyes. "Oh please. You're the only other one with a ring on her finger."

Tut laughed. "See, I was right. You and Cody are perfectly matched for each other."

Bailey couldn't help but smile again. "That's true. But we're still in college. We know we're going to get married someday, but until then, we know we're both totally committed to each other."

Addison just gave her a look. "I'll say. Cody was supposed to be sleeping on the couch last night, but when I got up to get a glass of water, the couch was empty..."

London shook her head. "Yeah, I could have told you that was going to happen. I caught them all cuddled up on the couch together right before Thanksgiving."

Bailey began blushing as Tut just gave her a look. "Please tell me that didn't happen while on the boat."

Bailey shook her head. "It didn't. It just began right before Thanksgiving break. And its just sleeping next to each other. We both enjoy it, and we're both adults now. We see nothing wrong with it."

Emma just held up her hands. "You two aren't my responsibility anymore. And you're right, you are adults. Just be careful."

"We are. Cody and I respect each other. We'll know when we're ready for that next step. Until then, we both love where we are right now." She paused. "Except we don't feel the need to tell our parents all of this just yet..."

London smiled. "I don't know about all of that. I've known Carey Martin for a long time now. She's smarter than she'll let on. She may not say anything, but don't think she's a dummy."

__Moseby's Suite__

Moseby, Zack, Cody, Woody, Marcus and Esteban (with Dudley) were all sitting around playing cards again. Esteban couldn't help but smile.

"This reminds me so much of the night before my wedding..."

Zack sighed. "Yeah...Its as lame now as it was then."

Marcus laughed. "Well, what do you expect? Four of us here are only 18, so we can't go to bars. And Cody and Woody have girlfriends and Esteban a wife. I'm sure none of them want to do anything stupid. And besides, Moseby has to get married tomorrow."

Zack slumped in his chair. "I know. But this is Moseby's last night as a single man. Can't we do better than this?"

Esteban smiled. "Well, I'm glad to see you aren't so down on marriage anymore."

Cody grinned. "Since you're wedding, Zack has seen the benefits of monogamy."

"Ahhh...yes. Miss Maya. I heard about the letter she sent him."

Zack groaned. "Can we forget about her for a little while. If she wants me back, she can come and get me. Until then, I'm back on the open market. Anyways..." He turned to Cody. "...since you seem to be the next one to go through this, I'm going to personally make sure you get a better send off than this. As your best man, I'm thinking a trip somewhere."

Woody frowned. "Why do you get to be his best man?"

"Because I'm his twin brother!"

"I was his roommate for three years!"

Both turned and glared at Cody. "Well?"

Cody laughed and held up his hands. "Hey...I'm only engaged to be engaged right now. I'll figure all of that out when the time comes."

Zack's eyes went wide. "Broseph!"

"Oh settle down. Sorry, Woodchuck, but Zack is my brother. He'll probably get the nod...as long as he behaves himself until then. If you're in jail on the day of my wedding, I won't postpone it for you."

__London's Penthouse__

Since the wedding wasn't until seven o'clock the next evening, there was no need to rush to get things done. But that doesn't mean there wasn't a rush. It seems London had her make up and hair people there early trying to get everyone from looking 'no so hideous'. By five o'clock that afternoon, everyone in the wedding party had had their hair done or cut. And their were manicures and pedicures for everyone. Moseby and Cody didn't seem to mind, but Zack just rolled his eyes.

In the penthouse, there was a knock at the door, and Addison answered it. And there stood Cody holding a couple of bags.

"Chef Paulo thought you ladies might like to have somethings to snack on while we all waited. He promised they were nothing that would leave a stain..."

Addison smiled. "Thanks." She turned. "Hey, Bailey...come over here!"

Bailey made her way to the door and when she saw Cody in his tuxedo, she whistled. "Looking good..."

Cody smiled. "I'd say the same thing, but I don't think 'good' would be an adequate enough word. You look...wow!"

She smiled back. "Thanks, Sweetie. How come you haven't tied your bow tie yet?"

He held up his left wrist. "I tried, but I can't with this thing on. Mom said she's get in later."

"Look up." Cody did, and Bailey proceeded to tie his tie for him. "There."

"Thanks, Bails."

"Don't worry about it. From now on, if you need help with something because of your wrist, just tell me and I'll do it."

Unbeknownst to them, that comment caused Addison and London to snicker.

__Moseby's Suite__

The rest of the guys were all sitting around shooting the breeze when there was a knock on the door of the suite. Zack got up to answer it, and he found found Amanda standing there.

"Hey! You're Mom told me I find you here." She smiled. "Looking good, Zack!"

He grinned back. "Thanks. I could say the same thing about you. Come on in, and I'll introduce you to some people."

Zack lead Amanda inside and began making introductions. "Amanda, this is Woody, Marcus and Moseby. Everyone, this is my friend from school, Amanda."

Everyone shook hands with her. "Zack's told me a lot about all of you guys." She paused and shook her head. "I can't believe I'm meeting Lil' Little in person."

Marcus smiled. "Well, its a pleasure to meet a friend of Zack's. Though...we do have to wonder what you're thinking being a friend of us. Its too late for the rest of us, but you still have time to get away..."

She laughed. "I ask myself the same question everyday."

About that time, the door opened again, and Cody walked in. Amanda smiled again. "And I'm guessing you have to be Cody."

Cody smiled. "That would be me. I'm guessing the fact that I look a little like Zack must have tipped you off."

"A little bit. And thank you for taking our phone calls when we've been studying. I really appreciate it."

"Don't worry about it. Bailey and I will hopefully be taking classes in both micro and macroeconomics next semester, so we may return the favor."

Zack's eyes lit up. "We'll be taking macro too. Sweet!"

"Well, we have to take it our freshman year if we want to get credit for and not have to take the intro classes to both."

Amanda nodded. "I can understand that. I've heard a lot about your girlfriend too. I can't wait to meet her."

Cody grinned. "She's the best. She's a bridesmaid, and she's up in the penthouse keeping Tut calmed down."

Moseby's eyes went wide. "Is she getting cold feet?"

"Nah. She's just as anxious to get the show on the road as much as you are. Don't worry about it. Only about an hour to go before you're a married man."

Zack pulled off to the side. "Come with me. I have to show you something."

Amanda nodded and followed Zack back to the Martin family suite. Once there, he headed into his bedroom, and when he returned, he handed something to her. "Here, read this..."

She complied, and when she finished, she looked up at him. "Wow...this is pretty intense. What are you going to do?"

"Right now, nothing. She knows where I am if she wants to try to get me back. Until then, I want to have some fun, and that starts tonight!"

__Tipton Hotel Ballroom__

Seven o'clock rapidly approached for everyone. All of the guests began arriving at 6:30, and that's when Addison, Woody, Marcus and Amanda all headed down to get their seats for the ceremony. Finally, it was go time, and Moseby made his way to his place at the end of the aisle with Zack and Cody standing to his left. And that's when the music began.

Bailey was the first down the aisle, and the whole way down, she and Cody just smiled at each other. Following Bailey was London who Moseby smiled at as she walked down. And that's when the bridal march began, and Tut began walking down the aisle with her father. When she got to the end of the aisle, her father gave her hand to Moseby, and they both turned to face the minister.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here tonight to join together in holy matrimony Emma Tutweiler and Marion Moseby. They have chosen to commit themselves to each other for the rest of their lives. Before we continue, does anyone have a reason why these two shouldn't not be married?"

Everyone looked towards both of their mothers, and while both of them were frowning, fortunately neither one said anything. Both Moseby and Tut sighed in relief. And from there, the ceremony went off without a hitch. The minister spoke about the importance of marriage and the vows they would soon be making.

"Marion, do you take Emma to be your wedded wife, and in the presence of these witnesses do you vow that you will do everything in your power to make your love for her a growing part of your life? Will you continue to strengthen it from day to day and week to week with your best resources? Will you stand by her in sickness or in health, in poverty or in wealth, and be faithful to her and her alone for as long as you both shall live?"

Moseby just smiled brigh. "I do."

"Emma, do you take Marion to be your wedded husband, and in the presence of these witnesses do you vow that you will do everything in your power to make your love for him a growing part of your life? Will you continue to strengthen it from day to day and week to week with your best resources? Will you stand by her in sickness or in health, in poverty or in wealth, and be faithful to him and him alone for as long as you both shall live?"

Emma returned Moseby's smile. "I do."

The minister turned to Zack. "May I have the rings?"

Zack reached into his pocket and handed them to the minister.

"From the earliest of times the circle of a wedding band has been a symbol of wedded love. Being one unbroken circle, your rings symbolize your unending love for each other. May your rings be a constant reminder of this to you and to the whole world of the bond you two share. Marion, place this ring on Emma's left ring finger."

Moseby slid the ring on to Emma's finger. "I give you this ring as a symbol of my love for you. Let it be a reminder that I am always by your side and that I will always be a faithful partner to you. As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I choose you to be my wife this day and forevermore."

"Emma, place this ring on Marion's left ring finger."

Emma slid the ring on to Marions's finger. "I give you this ring as a symbol of my love for you. Let it be a reminder that I am always by your side and that I will always be a faithful partner to you. As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I choose you to be my husband this day and forevermore."

"For as much as Emma and Marion have consented together this day to enter into holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and these witnesses, and have pledged their faithfulness to each other, and have pledged the same by the giving and receiving of rings, by the authority invested in me by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Lord above, I now pronounce them husband and wife. May those that God has joined together, let no man put assunder."

The minister turned to Moseby and Tut and smiled. "Marion...You may kiss your bride!"

Moseby kissed his new wife to the applause of everyone in attendance. Soon after, they walked out of the ballroom arm in arm followed by Zack and London who were followed by Cody and Bailey. From there, it was off to the reception. And London had gone all out there as well. Chef Paulo had created masterpieces in not only the meal but the wedding cake.

After the toasts and the cutting of the cake, the dance floor was opened. And as everyone took to the dance floor. Zack and Amanda were dancing and talking.

"Thanks for inviting me tonight. This has been a lot of fun. And you have great friends."

Zack paused and nodded. "Yeah, I do. They are all pretty great. And I proud to include you in that circle now too."

She smiled. "Thank you for that too. So, you think working with Moseby will be easier now that he's married and no longer living with his mother?"

"I certain hope so. Though, I only have a week left of working full time again. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm looking forward to school starting back."

"You know what...I am too. Do you know what you're taking this semester yet?"

"I think so. I talked to Moseby a few days ago. He wants me to take besides macro, the second semester of our English class, an intro Spanish class and a science class of my choice. Supposedly, there is a class called Rocks for Jocks..."

She laughed. "I may have to look into that one myself."

"Its weird though. He told me these are the classes I had to take. It doesn't make any sense to me. I can see the economics class helping me with the job, but the others don't really make any sense to me."

"Well, how about we forget about school for a few more days and worry about tonight. It is New Year's Eve after all."

Across the dance floor, Cody and Bailey were dancing as well. Bailey smiled up at him.

"So, has tonight given you any ideas?"

Cody smiled back. "Well, I think we can scrap eloping now. This has been kind of fun."

"Yeah, it has. Though, we have to be careful if we let London plan it for us..."

"You're telling me. Knowing her, she'd probably want to broadcast it on Yay Me!"

Bailey laughed. "I can totally see that!"

"So many people would be wondering why a beautiful woman like you was marrying a guy like me."

"Because I love him."

Cody smiled. "I love you too. And while I'm sure you'll look beautiful then, you look gorgeous tonight."

She smiled back. "Thank you, Cody Bear. And you look very handsome."

"I guess we should enjoy tonight while we can, Boo Boo. Come Wednesday, we head back to school and back to the grind."

"I know. I love school, but I love these moments like these with you a whole lot more."

Before long, it was time for the tossing of the bouquet and the garter. And like at most weddings, the single ladies were happy to be on the dance floor, most of the single guys were doing their best to hide behind people. When Tut tossed the bouquet over her shoulder, London immediately made a play to block out and knock down as many people out as possible. However, she got tripped up by Muriel and the only person left standing was Bailey. With no one else around, catching the bouquet was relatively easy.

When it was time for Moseby to fire off the garter, the only people who weren't cowering away were Cody and Arwin. Carey saw the look in Arwin's eyes, so she knew she had to distract him. And when she did, Moseby shot the garter straight at Cody. Every single guy...and Carey...was relieved when he caught it.

Finally, midnight approached, and everyone began celebrating the impending new year as well. As everyone was standing around the dance floor, the countdown began.

"Do you believe that superstition about the woman catching the bouquet being the next one to get married?"

Cody smiled. "Normally, I'm not superstitious. But this time, I don't think I'd mind if it came true."

Bailey smiled back. "Me either..."

And at the stroke of midnight, everyone got a kiss of some sort. For Moseby, it was a kiss from his new bride. For Woody and Cody, it was a kiss from their girlfriends. For Arwin, it was a kiss on the cheek from a reluctant Carey. For Marcus, it was a kiss on the cheek from London. And for Zack, it was a light peck on the lips from his friend. As streamers and balloons fell, everyone continued to celebrate hoping the New Year would be even better than the previous one.

__To ____be ____Continued...__

____**AN: Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope everyone eats way too much and falls asleep watching football. Well, that's what I plan on doing anyways. Anyway, the poll for Season 2 is up on my profile. I've already gotten 30 votes, and I must say the results so far are pretty surprising. I'll keep it open until December 15 so I will have time to begin writing Season 2 based on its results. And I will be keeping the results to myself, so you'll have to wait and see what happens. Also, some have asked about my other stories. They are on a temporary hiatus as I've been busy with everyday life combined with writer's block on those two stories. I will return to them when I can.**


	17. The Fourth Musketeer

_Episode 17_

__"The Fourth Musketeer"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

The next couple of days after New Year's were spent taking it easy as possible. For Zack, it meant one more day to do nothing before going back to work on the 2nd. And with Moseby on his honeymoon, he figured things should be a whole lot more casual around the office. For Cody and Bailey, it meant getting ready to return back to New Haven. And of course, there was the goal of finally getting to sit down and to try to figure out a schedule for their next semester. And in addition to that, the three of them were trying to do all of that while spending as much time with everyone while they were still in town.

Unfortunately, Woody, Addison and Marcus all had to head back out on Sunday afternoon so they could get back to their lives. When they dropped them off at the airport, everyone promised to keep in touch, and Marcus told Cody he would be in touch about Valentines's Day. Cody said he had some ideas, but he would tell Marcus about them later. He didn't want to spoil the surprise he had in mind with Bailey standing right there.

Monday brought with it the arrival of a few things everyone had been waiting for all winter break – their grades from their first semesters. And since Zack still had Monday off, all three students were there to open their grades. And Carey and Mimi were anxious to see how they did.

Since Bailey didn't have her letter physically in front of her, she had her laptop out so she could check hers online. But both she and Cody were a little hesitant to see how they did. Zack just rolled his eyes.

"Oh please. You both probably got 4.0s. I'll open mine to get it over with." He ripped open the envelope and began studying the sheet of paper in his hands.

Carey was very anxious though. "Well? How did you do?"

Zack paused. "Huh...A B+ in English, a B in Math, an A- in Psychology, and..." He began laughing. "...an A in Economics!"

Carey immediately pulled him into a hug. "That's amazing, Zack! I'm so proud of you!"

He nodded. "Yeah...I'm pretty proud of myself. I think I understand now why Cody always enjoyed getting good grades."

Cody laughed. "Not bad, Bro. That's a GPA of 3.5. I believe that's you're highest GPA ever...including nursery school."

Zack laughed. "Not bad for someone who had to take summer school to pass middle school. And, I will give credit where credit is due. Thanks to you two for help with Economics and editing my English paper." He paused. "Alright you two. I manned up. You're turn."

Cody nodded and opened his envelope as well. Pulling out the sheet in his hand, he studied it. Bailey was looking at him with anticipation. "Well?"

He grinned. "Zack was right. 4.0, Sweetie!"

Bailey hugged him. "Congratulations, Cody Bear!"

"And since we were lab partners, that should mean you at least have A's in both of our labs too."

"Good call." Bailey entered her log-in and password into her laptop. When the webpage opened, she studied it as well.

This time, it was Cody's turn to ask. "Well?"

Bailey looked up and smiled. "Well, we were tied at the end in high school, and our ties continues. 4.0 here too!"

Cody pulled her up into a hug and they danced around the room together.

Mimi smiled. "Well, besides me leaving in the morning, I think this is a good reason to celebrate. Tonight, we go out and reward everyone for all their hard work!"

And that's what they did. That night, they celebrated in style thanks to a special dinner whipped up by Chef Paulo. Tuesday brought with it Mimi flying back to Seattle. But she promised she would see everyone again soon, and hopefully before next Christmas. And right before she headed through security, she pulled Bailey aside.

"Bailey, its been an absolute pleasure to finally get to meet you. From the way Cody spoke about you in his letters, I didn't think there was anyway you could live up to the hype. But I'm happy to say that you did and then some."

Bailey smiled. "Thank you, Mimi."

"I meant it. Welcome to the family. I can tell my Cody is head over heels for you. And you're very good for him."

"I feel the same way about him."

Mimi smiled. "Good. Do me a favor and keep taking care of him for me. I won't worry about him as much knowing he has you there to keep an eye on him for me."

Bailey smiled again. "Consider it done."

On Wednesday, Cody and Bailey spent it down in the hotel's laundry room. And while their clothes were washed and dried, they had out the Yale blue book to see what they needed to take and Bailey's laptop to see what classes were being offered in the spring and at what times. By the time their clothes were washed, dried, folded and packed back in their bags, they thought they had a workable schedule for the spring semester. And with how well they had done their first semester, they didn't think their advisers would give them any problems.

On Thursday, Zack had to get up to go to work, but he promised he would meet his mother, Cody and Bailey for lunch before they hit the road back to New Haven. And since Moseby would be gone, he knew he could take a long lunch without any hassles. And they decided to do it near the hotel as Cody and Bailey would have their car filled up with all of their things. And at lunch, Cody teased his brother.

"Well, Zack...You got a 3.5 last semester. I expect you to match or exceed that this semester."

Zack laughed. "Yeah, good luck with that. As long as I can still call on you two for economics or Spanish questions, I might have a fighting chance."

Bailey shrugged. "I guess we can do that. Though, with Spanish, emails would probably be easier."

"True. With how fluent you two are, I probably wouldn't be able to understand you anyways. Tell you what...I'll do my best, but you two have to pull 4.0s."

Cody smiled. "That's our goal, Zack. The better our GPAs are, the better we'll look to medical schools."

Carey turned to Cody. "Speaking of medical, you do have your x-rays and MRI results packed, right?"

"Yes, Mom."

"And you're going to student health tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, Mom. I have an appointment for 11:30 in the morning."

She turned to Bailey. "And you'll make sure he goes there, right?"

Bailey smiled. "Of course."

Carey sighed. "Alright. I know you'll take good care of him, Bailey. Just keep me updated on how things are going."

"I will. If he has to do physical therapy exercises, I'll hold him down myself and make sure he does them."

Zack mumbled under his breath. "I bet you will..."

__New Haven__

About four o'clock, Bailey and Cody arrived back on Yale's campus. And moving back into their dorm was a whole lot easier than it had been the semester before. They didn't have everything to move back in this time, so they just dropped everything off in Bailey's room as quickly as they could. The most tiring task this time was going to park the car in their garage across campus and walking back to LW. The one constant they had was unfriendly weather. In the fall, there was the threat of rain and the hurricane. In the spring, it was bitterly cold and snowing on them. After returning to Bailey's room, they gathered Cody's things before making their way back down to Cody's room. And immediately, they could tell that Tapeworm was not back from break yet.

"Well, out first evening back on campus. What do you want to do tonight?"

Bailey smiled. "How about we take it easy and go back over our schedule again. Then, we'll go out and get some dinner before we take it easy tonight. After all, you have a doctor's appointment in the morning."

Cody smiled back. "True. And we are away from everyone, so we can both stay in here tonight."

She laughed. "Or my room whenever we want..."

"Yeah, but the TV is in here...I figured you'd want to watch the Kansas vs. Kansas State game tonight on TV."

Bailey just shook her head. "You got me there. Unfortunately, I don't think Yale's basketball team is going to have a very good year this year. I don't think Yale sports are having a good year. I mean...our football quarterback gave up his Rhodes scholarship interview to play against Harvard, and he got hurt in the first quarter..." (_I know this isn't entirely accurate as to what really happened, but I had wrote earlier that Yale beat Harvard before the game had happened. That didn't happen as Harvard whipped them, but it is true that Yale's QB gave up his Rhodes scholarship interview to play in the game. So, I had to improvise a little.)_

The next morning, Cody and Bailey were both up early. After grabbing a quick breakfast, they headed back to Cody's room to just hang out before heading over to student health. And as they were just taking it easy, the door to the room swung open. Tapeworm came in lugging his bags, and he smiled when he saw them.

"Hey! I know you two!"

Cody and Bailey both smiled back at him. "Welcome back, Tapeworm. How was your break?"

"It was good. I did nothing, and it was everything I dreamed it could be." He laughed. "I bet Zack would have been proud. How about you two? How was your break?"

Bailey laughed. "Oh, it was eventful."

"Did you get the picture of Cody on a farm for me?"

"We have several of those."

"Well, once I get unpacked, I'll have to see them. When did you two get back anyways?"

"Yesterday." Cody held up his left hand. "Because I have to go to an appointment at student health in about an hour."

Tapeworm frowned. "What did you do?"

So, for the umpteenth time since it happened, they told him the story of their Christmas morning. And Tapeworm's eyes went wide. "Wow..."

Cody laughed. "Tell us about it."

"Well, first off, congratulations to the both of you."

Bailey smiled. "Thank you."

"Second of all, Cody, any future career as a stuntman or ultimate fighter seems to be out the window now."

"Darn...there goes that dream."

Tapeworm laughed. "Finally, it lets me know not to tick off Bailey." He shuddered. "Seriously? With your bare hands?"

She laughed. "I have once or twice."

Cody checked the clock. "And we need to get over to student health. If you want, Tapeworm, we can meet you for lunch after we're done and catch up more."

He nodded. "Sounds good to me. Just give me a call when you guys are about to leave there."

Once at student health, Cody was called back, and his wrist was given the full battery of tests again. And the doctor there concurred with Dr. Miller's assessment. However, being a larger medical center, they were able to give Cody a brace that was less cumbersome and allowed him better use of his fingers. With an appointment made to come back in for a checkup at the beginning of the next month, Cody and Bailey headed out and met up with Tapeworm for lunch on campus.

When they left the dining hall, they basically had until Sunday evening's freshman registration meeting to do whatever they wanted. But since the weather was still cold and snowy, they decided that hanging out in dorm would probably be the best and most prudent idea. So, Bailey suggested they hit the pool table in the basement and begin practicing for spring intramurals. She even laughed and told Cody the brace on his left arm would give him an unfair advantage. Cody and Tapeworm said that sounded like fun, so they said they would meet Bailey in the basement in thirty minutes so they could all get out of their heavy coats and change to dry shoes and socks.

But when Bailey got back to her room, she noticed something was decidedly different. The other half of her room which had been empty for the past several months now was decorated and the bed made. She paused and shrugged. Looked like her having a room to herself had come to an end. And at that moment, the door to her room opened and another girl walked in.

"Oh...You must be my roommate."

Bailey smiled. "And I guess you're my new one. I'm Bailey Pickett."

The other girl smiled back. "I'm Gertie McKenzie. Nice to meet you, Bailey."

"Likewise." And Bailey was able to get a good look at her new roommate. She was a little shorter than Bailey with auburn hair and with a spattering of freckles. And she wore glasses that covered most of her face. Then Bailey noticed even more about her. Gertie was dressed very conservatively in a blouse and jeans. From the look of her clothes, Bailey knew in an instant that London would have a field day with this girl's wardrobe. But that didn't bother Bailey in the least.

"Is Gertie short for something?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Its short for Gertrude which was my my great grandmother's name. Fortunately, my parents were big fans of the movie _ET_, so they preferred calling me Gertie."

"So, are you new to Yale?"

Gertie sighed. "No, I'm not. I used to have a single room over in Welch Hall, but when I got in this morning, I found out that my room had experienced a burst pipe over break. There were no free rooms there, and this room was the only free one they could find."

Bailey nodded. "So, you were in Davenport College?"

"Yeah. But they told me that after this semester, I can return to it or switch to Berkeley if I prefer it over here."

Bailey smiled. "Well, call me biased, but I think you'll really like Berkeley. LW is right across the street from it and its dining room and catercorner to the library. We have a great location. And everyone here is really nice and friendly."

Gertie smiled. "Good. Not that the people in Welch weren't, but I didn't really socialize too much." She paused. "I take my studies pretty seriously."

"So do I. My boyfriend Cody and I are both pre-med. We're majoring in biology and hoping to get accepted into Ethics, Politics & Economics next year."

"I'm hoping to get accepted into Architecture then too." She paused. "You said your boyfriend. I couldn't help but notice the ring on your finger."

Bailey grinned again. "Its a promise ring...basically engaged to be engaged. Cody lives on the floor below us with his roommate, Tapeworm."

Gertie just looked at her like she was crazy. "Tapeworm?"

Bailey laughed. "His real name is Dennis. Turns out Cody and Tapeworm knew each other when they were in middle school. And the story behind his nickname does make sense."

"I see. So, did those two plan on rooming together from the start?"

"Not exactly. You see, Tapeworm's family moved away before high school, and then Cody and his brother headed off to Seven Seas High on the S.S. Tipton. So, they lost touch for a few years until the met up again here last semester. Them rooming together was just a happy coincidence."

"Your boyfriend went to high school on a cruise ship?"

Bailey laughed again. "Yeah. So did I. That's where I met him."

Gertie just shook her head. "That must have been amazing."

"It was. I mean...how else is a girl from Kettlecorn, Kansas and a boy from Boston going to meet?"

"So, you're from Kansas, huh? Maryland here."

"Cool. I think we docked in Baltimore once while we were on the ship."

"I'm guessing you guys saw the whole world, huh?"

Bailey nodded. "Yeah. I've been on six continents. Cody's actually been on all seven. He got to go to Antarctica. I wish I could have gone with him."

"Why didn't you?"

Bailey sighed. "Because, at the time, we were both being stupid and were broken up." She smiled. "But I promise you we're much better now, so you won't have to deal with any drama. We both know now how lucky we are to have each other."

"That must be nice."

"What about you? Is there a special someone in your life?"

Gertie sighed. "Not at the moment, but I can always hope. I went to an all girl's boarding school, so I didn't really get to interact with boys all that much. I did meet a guy here once that I'd like to get to know better, but I don't know if that will happen."

"Well, I hope you get that chance. Having the right feller in your life is the best feeling in the world." Bailey paused and laughed. "As long as he is the right one. Just remember...while there are some good ones out there, others you have to watch out for. Unfortunately, you can't tell the good ones from the bad ones just by looking at them..."

"Great...That makes things sound so much easier..."

"Hey. How about I show you around LW if you want? I'm suppose to meet Cody and Tapeworm downstairs to play some pool. How about you join us and get to know some more people? Cody and Tapeworm are both good ones. And if you want, you can head over to the dining hall for dinner with us later."

Gertie smiled. "Thanks. I'd like that."

Bailey lead Gertie down to the basement where Cody and Tapeworm were racking the balls up on the pool table. As they made their way over to the table, Cody looked up and was a little confused to see Bailey walking up with another girl.

"Cody, Tapeworm, I'd like to introduce you both to my new roommate, Gertie. Gertie, this is my boyfriend, Cody and his roommate, Tapeworm."

Gertie smiled and nodded. "Nice to meet you both. Bailey's told me wonderful things about you both."

Cody smiled. "Nice to meet you as well, Gertie." Tapeworm just nodded at her with a funny expression on his face.

Bailey grinned. "I'm going to finish showing Gertie around the basement, and then we'll be back to give you two guys a game."

Gertie spoke up. "Actually, if you don't mind, can I get a rain check for about an hour? I'd feel a whole lot better if I was unpacked and settled in before I started goofing off."

Cody laughed. "I know that feeling. Go for it, we'll be down here...probably still trying to beat Bailey in some cutthroat."

Bailey shook her head. "Ignore him. Come on. I'll show you the laundry area and the vending machine room."

As they walked off, Cody turned to joke with Tapeworm. "Well, I guess there goes my late night study sessions in Bailey's room, huh?"

But Tapeworm was just standing there still watching Gertie and Bailey walk off with the same expression on his face.

"You okay, Buddy?"

Tapeworm swallowed. "Cody...ummm...you remember the girl of my dreams that I told you I saw in the library last semester?"

"Of course..." Cody looked around. "Do you see here somewhere?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I see her. She's walking and talking with Bailey before heading back up to their room."

Cody turned around to look at Bailey again when he put two and two together. Turning back to Tapeworm, he grinned. "Wait a minute! Are you telling me the girl you saw that day was Gertie?"

Tapeworm just nodded. "Yeah. And she's even more beautiful than I remember."

"Well, Man, here is your chance to come up with the Tapeworm method. With her being Bailey's roommate, you're definitely going to be seeing her a whole lot more often."

"You really think so?"

"Of course." Cody paused. "Just don't do anything to freak her out or scare her off. Just be careful."

Tapeworm hesitated. "You know. I don't think I even want to try to go after her. I mean...she's beautiful, but I know absolutely nothing about her." He sighed. "Besides, I want someone else. I'd really like to find the Cat I was talking to on Halloween again. She and I got along so well together, and she was a lot of fun. I know I don't even know her name or what she looks like, but I could just be myself with her and it was okay."

Cody nodded. "I know what you mean. I will tell you this. To me, Bailey is the most beautiful woman there is. But as gorgeous as she is, she's more beautiful on the inside. Having someone you can get along with and are comfortable with and enjoy being with is much more important than what they look like."

"I think you're right..." He teased Cody. "I mean...why else would Bailey be with you?"

A few minutes later, Bailey rejoined them. "So, have you guys practiced, or do you need more time?"

Cody grinned. "Bails, you will never guess what we just discovered."

"What's that?"

"Your new roommate is the girl of Tapeworm's dreams!"

She laughed. "That was fast..."

"No, she's the girl he saw last semester in the library and was dumbstruck. Remember?"

Her eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh! She is?"

Tapeworm nodded. "Yeah. But I've moved on and still want to find my mystery cat woman from the Halloween party."

Bailey smiled. "Either way, I wish you the best of luck. And if you need some help, Cody and I will be here to help in anyway we can."

"Thanks. I appreciate that. But you know what, for some reason, I have a good feeling I'll find her again."

She turned to Cody. "I guess there goes late night study sessions in my room, huh?"

Cody laughed. "I had the exact same thought. But you know what, its okay."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I got a glimpse of what married life will be like with you."

She smiled. "Yeah. I guess we did."

He smiled back. "And I for one can't wait for the real thing."

Back up in Bailey and Gertie's room, Gertie was unpacking her clothes and hanging them in her closet. In particular, she held up one outfit and sighed.

"I guess I won't need my Cat costume again until next Halloween." She paused. "I wonder if I'll ever see my Captain America ever again..."

__To be Continued...__

**AN: I had planned on posting this last night, but yesterday was a big day. UK pulled off the double and won in both basketball and football in the same day. In basketball, we beat Portland, and in football, we beat Tennessee for the first time since...not 2004...not 1994...but 1984! We were on a 26 year losing streak! And we won...with a WR playing QB for us. Oh well, hope everyone had a good holiday weekend.**__  
><em>_


	18. The Second First Anniversary

_Episode 18_

__"The Second First Anniversary"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

Friday the 13th of January was a busy day for Zack. At three thirty that afternoon, he was returning back to the Tipton hotel after finishing his first three days of classes of the Spring 2012 term at Beacon Hill Community College. This semester, he actually had three classes with his new friend, Amanda, so he was enjoying that. But learning about different kinds of rocks and minerals late on a Friday afternoon was almost a little too much for him. Add that to the hour of macroeconomics he had before that and the three and a half hours he worked that morning, and Zack found him himself exhausted. And he could already tell his Tuesdays and Thursdays might end up killing him. The hour of English 102 from 1:00 to 2:15 was bad enough, but the two hour block of Spanish 101 from 3:00 to 4:50 was brutal. The only saving grace was that the professor mercifully gave them a ten minute break halfway through.

When he got home, he just slumped back into the couch next to his mother. She just smiled and turned to him.

"Rough day?"

He sighed. "Something like that. I've only been back in classes for three days, and I'm already worn out."

"Well, just remember. No matter how bad you think it is, you're handling this a lot better than you did last semester. I had to hold back from asking if you wanted some cheese with your whine."

Zack rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Mom. I appreciate it."

Carey smiled. "I'm serious though. You did really well last semester. Keep doing what you're doing, and I think you can again."

He paused. "I think so too, but it doesn't make any sense to me, Mom. I can understand some of the classes Moseby has told me to take. I mean, economics is certainly easy to understand for my job. And I guess I can kind of see English, Math and Spanish to some degree. Heck, even psychology I can see being somewhat useful. But why does he want me to take a science course? Unless I'm going to be the bed bug inspector, it makes no sense."

She paused to think. "To be honest, Zack. It doesn't make much sense to me either. But you know Moseby. He always seems to know what he's doing."

"Maybe..." Zack stopped to think. "...unless making me take that class is his payback for the chair and balloon senior prank we did."

Carey just looked at him and sighed. "What did you do exactly?"

Zack avoided looking at her. "Nothing, Mom. Just a senior prank. No big deal, and no one got hurt." He stood up. "I think I'm going to go change."

She shook her head realized the less she knew the better. "So, what are your plans for the weekend?"

"Oh. Amanda and I are getting together to do our homework tomorrow before we hang out tomorrow night. Probably find somewhere to watch the Pats game."

Carey smiled at him. "Oh really? Looks like you two are getting to be really good...friends."

Zack sighed. "Yes. We're friends. Why does everyone have a problem thinking I can just be friends with her?"

__New Haven__

That same Friday afternoon, Cody and Bailey were making their way back to LW from their last class of the day. On Tuesday, they would have to submit their final requests for their schedules, but the one they had planned out seemed to be working out just fine for them. Cody and Bailey had been back in school for a week and a half, and so far, they were enjoying their classes. They had affectionately began to call their Tuesdays and Thursdays their 'Econ Days'. From 9:00-10:15, they had ECON 121 (Intermediate Microeconomics) followed by ECON 122 (Intermediate Macroeconomics) from 10:30-11:45 in the classroom right next door. On Tuesday, from 6:00 to 6:50, they had an ECON 121 discussion section, and on Thursday at the same time, they had an ECON 122 discussion section. And those afternoons in between would be their homework and study times.

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays would be a little busier. On those three days, they had MCDB 200 (Molecular Biology) from 9:25 to 10:40. On Mondays and Wednesdays, they followed that with PHYS 201 (Fundamentals of Physics II) from 11:35-12:50. On Fridays, they had their corresponding lab, PHYS 206L from 12:30-3:30. Finally, their sixth and final courses of their semesters were there freshman seminars on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:30-3:45. It was titled HIST 006 (Medicine and Society in American History), and not only did it satisfy their freshman seminar requirement but also one of their writing requirements. While their AP English scores got them out of taking English classes, they still had to have two classes to satisfy the university writing requirements.

Now, that Friday, things went a little differently. The next Monday would be Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and Yale would not be in session that day. But instead of canceling Monday classes, Friday classes were canceled instead, and students were to go to their normal Monday schedules on that Friday. And as the university would be closed on Monday, they couldn't submit their schedules until that Tuesday after the off day. So, instead of walking back from Science Hill, they were walking back to LW from just across Old Campus. And for that, they were thankful as it was snowing heavily.

Bailey laughed. "Is it just me, or do you miss being south of the equator during January?"

Cody laughed too. "Well, I know my fingers, toes and cheeks definitely are missing it right now."

"Tell me about it. While it will be nice to have a three day weekend, we won't be able to do too much to enjoy it if we're snowed in."

"Well, we'll have Monday to do whatever we want. Its days like this that I'm glad LW has a good location. We can head to the library on Sunday without freezing off our assets."

"True. What about tonight or tomorrow?"

Cody just grinned. "Oh...I have a feeling we'll think of something."

When they got back to LW, they headed back up to their rooms to drop off their books. And when Bailey got back to hers, Gertie looked up from her desk when she walked in.

"Hey, you're back. You have trouble remembering that today was supposed to be treated like a Monday too?"

Bailey smiled. "I did. I know its only been a week and a half, but it did feel weird being in physics today and not my lab. And when I should have been in my lab, I was in my seminar instead."

Gertie laughed. "Tell me about it. I went to my French class, but I knew I was in the wrong place when a different professor walked in."

"Well, I'm glad this is the only time this semester that this will happen...well, except for when the Monday before reading week begins will be treated like a Friday to even things up."

"That should be fun." She nodded over at Bailey's desk. "Oh yeah, you had a delivery come for you while you were in class."

Bailey walked over to her desk to find a vase of beautiful sunflowers sitting on them. She frowned as she had no idea why anyone would be sending her those. Yeah, they were Kansas's state flower, but she couldn't fathom what they meant in this instance. Shrugging, she grabbed the envelope in the middle of them, and read the note inside after opening it.

__My Dearest Bailey,__

__One year ago tomorrow, my life was in a complete and utter disarray. Irony of ironies, it took a tornado to clean it up and put my life back together. Thank you for mending my broken heart and making it whole once again. Thank you for forgiving my stupidity and giving me a second chance to show you how much I love you. I hope you will do me the honor of allowing me to take you out tomorrow night to celebrate the fact that I've had you back in my life for a year.__

__All my love,__

__Cody__

Bailey just smiled and shook her head. "I guess it has been a year already..."

Gertie spoke up. "What's been a year?"

Bailey turned to her. "Oh. Its been a year that Cody and I have been back together. You see..." And she went on to explain to her the events that lead to their reunion.

Gertie just looked at her. "You two got back together during the middle of a tornado?"

"Yeah, we did." She smiled. "And as if on cue, once we did, the tornado stopped, and we could hear the birds began singing again."

Gertie laughed. "Sounds like a metaphor if I've ever heard one. Once your lives stopped being a whirlwind, the real one outside stopped too."

Bailey paused to consider that. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm going to go down and thank Cody for my flowers and accept his invitation."

And that's what Bailey did. When Cody answered the knock at his door, he was immediately pulled in for a kiss. When they finally parted for air, he smiled.

"Does that mean you got my little surprise?"

Bailey grinned. "I did, and I enthusiastically RVSP a yes to your invitation."

"Good." He paused. "And Bails, the last time we celebrated being together a year, I screwed up royally. This time, I promise you I will do my best to do what I should have done then."

_Boston_

That Saturday, Zack did meet up with Amanda do to their homework. And due to the blizzard hitting the Northeast, it wasn't like they had anything else better to do. Thankfully, the subway was underground and impervious to the snow. But the weather was causing a lot of places to close down. So, them heading out on the town looked like it was going to turn into hanging out in the suite playing video games until game time. Well, it was until Amanda received a phone call from her Dad saying that a few people had called in 'snowbound' and couldn't make it into work. So, he needed her to fill in at the store near where she was.

She sighed. "There goes an afternoon of hanging out..."

Zack shrugged. "It happens. You need some help down there?"

"You sure?"

"Why not? If I don't, I'll end up just sitting here, and I'm already starting to get cabin fever."

Amanda smiled. "I would appreciate that. And I'll make sure Dad pays you well for helping out."

An hour later, Zack was rethinking his offer. Immediately, he was put to work. Seems Amanda's father owned a auto parts store/garage. And most of his tow truck operators were out helping stranded motorists. The store was packed with people buying shovels, scrapers, de-icer, chains and snow tires. Zack's job was that of gopher – basically doing what someone told him to do. By the time the store closed that night at 8 PM, he was exhausted.

"Its days like this that I miss the ship. This time last year, we were down around South America. I was worried about sunburn, not freezer burn."

Amanda laughed. "I guess so. Of course, you probably had to deal with tropical storms though."

"Actually, we really never did. The only really bad storm we had to deal with was..." He paused. "What is today?"

"January 14th."

Zack began laughing. "Has it already been a year?"

Amanda just looked at him. "Has what been a year?"

"Well, I wasn't in it, but a year ago today, Cody, Bailey and London got caught in a tornado."

"On the ship?"

"No. In Kansas. You see..." And Zack proceeded to tell her the story of everyone's adventure in Kettlecorn.

She just looked at him in shock. "Are you serious? They got back together in the middle of a tornado?"

Zack nodded. "They did. No one ever said they do things the easy way." He began laughing. " Anyways, while they were all safe, it was me who ended up getting chased by an old woman with a cane."

"Why did she do that?"

Zack quickly explained what all had done to try to get a 3 month anniversary gift for Maya. "So, I had to give it back..."

Amanda laughed. "Well, can you blame her? I mean...you did try to take a family heirloom under false pretenses."

"I know, I know. I gave it back though. You have to understand how desperate I was. I wanted to give Maya a really good anniversary present, and I hadn't come up with anything yet." He sighed. "Not that it matters now, huh?"

She paused. "How about we change the subject?"

"Good call." He stopped to think. "I bet your Dad made a killing today. I've never seen such a mad house."

Amanda laughed. "I'm sure he did. And from what I hear, we weren't as busy as some of the other stores."

Zack just looked at her. "He has other stores? How many?"

She paused again and looked a little uneasy. "Just a few..."

He just kept looking at her. "How many is a few?"

Amanda sighed. "He has seventeen in the Boston metro area alone..."

Zack's eyes went wide. "Seventeen?" He paused. "You're Dad must be loaded then!"

Amanda hung her head. "We do alright. Okay, better than alright."

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because when people hear that you come from money, they treat you differently."

He shook his head. "But that doesn't make any sense. From the beginning, you've known I'm friends with London Tipton. You've known I know people who are wealthy and I'm still friends with them..."

"I guess so, but I just wanted to be treated as a regular person."

"Whoever said you weren't?"

"Some people."

He paused feeling a little hurt. "Did you think I was one of them?"

She looked at him pleadingly. "I couldn't be for sure. I know you aren't now though..."

By now, Zack was pretty upset and smirked at her. "Thanks...I think. But I still don't get why you just didn't tell me the truth. I thought we were friends."

Amanda just looked at him. "Zack, we are friends. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

He nodded. "Yeah, me too. Well, its closing time. I think I'm heading home. See you in class on Monday."

"Zack..."

But by then it was too late. He was already out the door.

_New Haven_

Cody and Bailey had entered the Union League Cafe and shook the snow off of their coats, boots and hair. And due to the weather around campus, the restaurant wasn't very busy. So, they were rather quickly shown their table and given their menus. Cody paused and began laughing.

"How come the weather in Kettlecorn was so mild last year and we're in a blizzard this year? That just dawned on me. It was even snowing while we were there over Christmas break."

Bailey laughed. "Who knows? Blame on it Kansas weather. They say if you don't like it, give it five minutes and it'll change."

"I think I can believe that." He just smiled. "I'm just glad this place is in walking distance so we could get to it."

She smiled back. "Me too."

"Happy Anniversary, Bails."

Bailey paused. "Is this really our anniversary? I mean...its the one year anniversary of us getting back together, but to me, our anniversary will always be the day that we had our first date and first kissed."

Cody nodded. "I can see that." He smiled again. "How about this then? That will be our anniversary, and this will be a day of remembrance for us."

"A day of remembrance?"

"Yeah. You know...a day where we remember and celebrate that we won't ever let the little things get in the way of what is most important – us."

Bailey smiled. "I like the sound of that. A day where remember not to sweat the small stuff. A day where we celebrate the fact that we refuse to let our stupidity or pride or petty squabbles come between us."

"Exactly. And I know this isn't Paris, but it is French food. Though, I don't think there will be an accordion player around to bother us."

"Or smarmy French guys trying to take advantage of the situation." She smiled. "Cody, I swear to you. I knew he was there, but I was completely ignoring everything he said while I was feeling sorry for myself. When London told me how much of a mess I had made, I completely forgot he existed. I just wish I had realized that you had a right to be upset with me and not let my stubbornness get in the way..."

He took her hand in his. "I believe you, Sweetie. And that's all in the past now." He smiled. "Besides, I hope you know I didn't practice this date...Tapeworm said no..."

Bailey laughed too. "Good. I'm glad we can laugh about all of that now."

"Me too. I acted like an idiot that night and deserve ridicule for my behavior."

"Same here."

Cody took her hand in his. "I never did get to tell you how beautiful you looked that night."

Bailey squeezed his hand. "Nor did I get the chance to tell you how handsome you looked."

He smiled. "Well, I would have worn my tux tonight, but I don't think it would have gone with my snow boots."

She laughed again. "Alright...I'll let it slide this time."

He paused. "You know...Some day, I want us to go back to Paris again. Right now, neither one of us has good memories associated with it. I want to rewrite over those memories with good ones."

Bailey smiled again. "I'd like that too. And this time, I want to kiss you on the top of the Eiffel Tower. And I want to be there on the real one, not the one in Vegas."

Cody laughed. "Consider it done then."

"Until then, I say we enjoy our evening out together."

"Nothing I'd rather do."

_Back at the dorm_

Tapeworm had just walked into the laundry room lugging his baskets of dirty clothes with him He sat them down on the folding counters before fishing around in his pocket for some dollar bills to get change with. And as he was getting change, Gertie walked in lugging her own baskets of dirty clothes. She began laughing.

"Both of us doing laundry on a Saturday night. What does that say about us?"

Tapeworm turned to her and smiled. "Well, one of two things. One, we're smarter than everyone else by doing it now when we have all of the machines to ourselves. Or two, we have nothing better to do on a Saturday night..."

She laughed again. "Can we say both to make ourselves feel better?"

"Works for me. My plan was to put everything in the washer and go get some food to go while my clothes were in there. And then get everything into the dryers before the kickoff of the Patriots and Ravens playoff game. At halftime, I'd come down and get everything out and fold them during the second half."

Gertie smiled. "Sounds like a plan to me. Mind if I join you?"

He paused and grinned. "You're from Maryland, so you're probably a Ravens fan, huh?"

"I am. And since you grew up with Cody in Boston, you're probably a Patriots fan, right?"

"I am. Works for me, just don't complain when Tom Brady starts carving your team up."

"Don't complain to me when Ray Lewis plants Brady into the ground while Ed Reed intercepts his pass for a pick six!"

Tapeworm laughed. "Alright...you're on!"

"Good. Let's get our clothes in the washers and get some food. How about a pizza over in Durfee? Its right next door, so a shorter walk plus football and pizza just go together naturally."

"Sounds good to me."

Quickly, they both separated their loads into the washing machines, and five minutes later, they each had four machines a piece going.

"You ready?"

Tapeworm nodded. "Let's rock and roll."

As they walked out, Gertie turned to him. "Okay...I have to ask. How did you get the nickname 'Tapeworm' exactly? Bailey said it would make sense once I heard the story..."

_Back at the Union League Cafe_

Cody and Bailey had finished dinner, and they were waiting on their crème brulees for dessert. Cody reached into his jacket and pulled out a small box.

"I found this online, and I wanted you to have it. It seemed appropriate for today."

She smiled at him. "You didn't have to get me anything."

"I know, but like I said, it seemed appropriate."

Bailey opened the gift box, and to say she was surprised with what she found was an understatement. It was a snow globe that if you shook up, it would produce a tornado in the water. But what really floored her was that the two figures in the middle were Dorothy and the Tin Man. She looked up at him.

"Cody..."

"I know. Its a little cheesy, but I thought it made sense. Bails, you are the beautiful young woman from Kansas. You're a natural Dorothy. And I thought the tin man was appropriate for me. Thanks to Dorothy, the Tin Man got a heart. Thanks to you, I got my heart back."

Tears formed in her eyes. "Cody...You have no idea just how appropriate this is. You remember I told you about the dream I had that knocked sense into me?"

He nodded. "Yeah..."

"Well, in it, I was Dorothy, and you were the Tin Man. You told me that if I was lucky enough to have a heart, I should follow it. And I did. I could finally hear what it was telling me without everything else getting in the way. And my heart told me that I had never stopped loving you and that you were the only feller for me."

Cody smiled. "Wow...I'm good."

Bailey smiled too. "Yeah, you are. Thank you, Cody. I love this."

"I'm glad." He grinned. "But don't be getting any ideas about next Halloween. In the original Wizard of Oz movie, Buddy Ebsen, the guy who played Jed Clampett in the Beverly Hillbillies television show, was supposed to be the Tin Man, but the aluminum dust they used to make him look silver caused him to have an allergic reaction and be hospitalized. Could you imagine what that would do to someone like me with my allergies?"

_To be Continued..._


	19. Not So Super Weekend

_Episode 19_

_"Not So Super Weekend"_

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

Zack returned back to the Tipton hotel and immediately headed for his room. He fell back on to his bed, looked up at the ceiling, shook his head and sighed. And as he did all of this, Carey just watched fromm her seat on the couch. Getting concerned, she got up and headed into the bedroom.

"Zack? Are you alright?"

He sighed again. "I don't know..."

"I thought you and Amanda were going to watch the Patriots game tonight?"

He groaned. "Great. I can't believe I forgot about that. I'm missing it too."

Carey was really concerned now if Zack was forgetting sports games. "What's wrong?"

Zack sat up. "Mom...why do girls have to play such games? Why can't they just be honest about things?"

Carey just looked at him. Seeing how upset he was, she refrained from pointing out his own hypocrisy on that subject. "What happened?"

He sighed again. "Turns out Amanda's family is loaded, and she never told me."

"What do you mean by loaded? Like London loaded?"

"No, nothing like that. But her family owns seventeen stores and garages in the area."

Carey just stared at him. "Wait a minute! Her Father is Stan Miller, the auto parts king of the the Northeast? I love his commercials!"

"Yeah, I guess so. But that's not the point."

She shook her head to focus. "Okay, what is the point then?"

"The point is she lied to me about it!"

"Maybe she wanted you to get to know the real her first before you made any preconceived judgments on her based on her wealth?"

Zack shook his head. "I wouldn't do that. I've known London for years, but she is still London to me."

"True..." Carey smiled. "But did you forget about how you bended over backwards trying to impress that Theo boy when you saw how wealthy he was?"

Zack paused and cringed. "Oops...I had forgotten about that."

"Well, based on that, can you see how she wanted to be your friend based on who she was and not what was in her father's bank accounts?"

He grumbled. "Yeah. I can. After how I acted then, I had no right to get upset..." He sighed. "I royally screwed up, didn't I?"

She smiled again. "Yeah, but its not too late to make things better. Show her that you're the matured guy and call her and apologize."

Zack nodded. "You're right." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. "Hey...Amanda. Its Zack..."

__New Haven__

Cody and Bailey returned back from the restaurant and another adventure out in the blizzard. Upon returning back to LW, they were looking forward into changing into something warm, comfortable and most importantly, dry. They were going to drop by Cody's room to put their doggy bag in the refrigerator, but the sight they found surprised them when they opened the door. Both Tapeworm and Gertie were standing up yelling at the TV. And how they were dressed caught their attention too – Gertie in a purple #52 Ravens jersey and Tapeworm in a navy blue #12 Patriots jersey.

Cody laughed and turned to Bailey. "I'm guessing tonight is the Ravens-Patriots game..."

She laughed too. "I certainly hope so. If not, I'm afraid to guess what is going on..."

"Ummm...Guys, what's going on?"

Tapeworm sighed. "The Pats just missed a 57 yard field goal at the end of regulation that would have won the game. Now, we're headed for overtime."

Cody nodded. "I see. Well, in case you cared, it still snowing pretty hard outside."

Bailey added to that. "And the windchill is about -10."

Tapeworm frowned. "Really? I was about to turn on a fan. Its got pretty heated in here. We've been going back and forth since the second quarter."

Bailey smiled. "Well, nice to see you two getting along so well. Should we send you two to your own corners?"

Gertie laughed. "Nothing like that. Its just...well...we've both been heavily supporting our teams."

Tapeworm spoke up. "Thank goodness your back, Cody. The Pats could use another voice supporting them..."

Gertie looked at him. "Is that so?" She turned to Bailey. "Then I need your help rooting for the Ravens!"

Cody laughed. "I think I'll stay out of this one. I think I accidentally cursed the Sox. I don't want to be responsible for doing the same thing to the Patriots."

Bailey laughed too. "And after I saw how down Cody got about the Sox, I won't actively root against one of his teams. Besides, I come from Chief's country. I don't have a dog in this fight. Actually, I think I'm going to go upstairs and change."

"Good call. I think I'm going to take some stuff to the bathroom and change too. Hopefully, by the time I'm done, the game will be over."

Gertie stood up. "You don't have to leave your room to change clothes..."

Cody smiled. "Don't worry about it. All I ask is that you don't break things...on my side of the room...should the Patriots prevail."

Twenty minutes later, Cody and Bailey both returned to Cody and Tapeworm's room. And this time, they found Tapeworm sitting back in his chair with a big grin on his face as Gertie sat in the other chair frowning and fuming.

Bailey paused. "I take it the game's over, and it didn't end well for those from the Old Line State..."

Gertie sighed. "Baltimore was driving for the winning score when their running back got hit and hurt his knee. Even worse, he fumbled and New England picked it up and returned it for the winning score. So, not only did we lose, but our running back may have a career ending injury. They say its just as bad as the one Kurt Warner got when he was playing pick up football with some kids..."

Cody's eyes went wide and his voice shaky. "They said that?"

For her part, Bailey was doing her best not to laugh. But before she had to say anything, Tapeworm spoke up. "Look on the bright side. We're only one win away from the Super Bowl!"

Bailey decided to change the subject. "Well, since we're all snowed in, how about we watch a movie? And one that has nothing to do with sports..."

Gertie spoke up. "Sounds good to me. I got a new DVD for Christmas I've been meaning to watch. Any of you guys seen Flowers & Chocolate?"

Cody and Bailey just turned to each other and smiled. "We may have seen it before..."

__Boston__

As the Patriots linebacker crossed the goal line to win the game, Zack and Amanda high fived each other in celebration.

"YES!"

She smiled. "I know. One more game and we go back to the Super Bowl where we belong..."

Zack laughed. "I don't want to think about that right now. I have Aaron Rodgers on my fantasy team. I know how good the Packers are, and with how shaky the Pat's secondary is, that could be ugly..."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Way to be a fan..."

"Hey, I'm just being realistic. After the Sox, I know not to get too excited yet."

"True." She smiled. "Thanks for calling me tonight."

He sighed. "I'm sorry again that I overreacted."

"You had every right too. I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth."

"You had ever right not to. My Mom had to remind me that London wasn't the only rich person I've ever known. When I was younger, there was this Theo guy who I lost my mind trying to suck up to him because he gave me nice things."

She paused. "Theo Cavanaugh?"

Zack nodded. "Yeah. That was him. I was blinded by the bling to see how much of a jerk he really was. He treated Cody like dirt." He paused and laughed. "I'd like to see him try that now. I think Bailey would make him regret it..."

"I know that Theo guy. He went to high school with Kathy and I. Nobody liked him at all. One day, he ticked off one person too many. He ended up with a broken smile. No one ever knew for sure who did it to him though, but everyone was happy that someone knocked him down a few pegs. After that, he left school and no one ever saw him again..."

He smiled. "Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy..."

"I would have to agree." She paused. "But what about us? Are we good?"

Zack smiled. "Yeah. We're good. Or as I've learned in my Spanish class, we're amigos."

Amanda laughed. "Glad to hear that."

He teased her. "Besides...I now have a place to get my car worked on for practically free now..."

__New Haven__

The next couple of weeks dragged on by with the weather getting worse before the sun finally made another appearance. Still, walking to and from classes in the bitter cold and snow was not much fun. As they trudged across campus, Cody and Bailey would reminisce about how they could get from their cabins to the classrooms on the ship without ever having to go outside. But as nice as that was, they still enjoyed not having a curfew or someone constantly watching them to make sure they weren't doing anything against the rules.

January finally gave way to February. And campus was in a great mood. Not only was the sun coming out on consecutive days, but the Patriots had got revenge on the Steelers and were off to meet the heavily favored Packers in the Super Bowl. And with a local team in the game, every residential college and dorm was planning a huge Super Bowl party. Of course, Cody, still not wanting to jinx his hometown team, was refraining from talking about the game. But he had something else he was excited about. The Thursday afternoon before the big game, he had an appointment at student health where he would hopefully be free of the wrist brace he had worn for well over a month.

After the doctor had examined him, he gave Cody the good news.

"Looks like your wrist is healing perfectly. Your x-ray looks just fine, so we can relieve you of your brace. I'll have some exercises for you to do to deal with any lingering stiffness you might have."

Bailey smiled. "Don't worry. I'll personally make sure he does them."

The doctor smiled. "Excellent. Always good when you have someone to push you." After that, he went through the exercises with Cody before releasing him. "Before you leave though, here is a lesser brace in case you feel you need it. But, I don't think you will."

Cody sighed in relief. "Thanks, Dr. Bayless."

"My pleasure." He paused. "While you two are here, I'm going to ask. Have you two gotten flu shots this year? In the past week, we've been treating a higher number of cases than usual, so we believe its going around campus pretty heavy."

They shook their heads. "We haven't. How long will it take?"

Dr. Bayless smiled. "If you give me your student IDs and ten minutes, I can have them here for you."

Bailey turned to Cody. "I think we should. We have a Molecular Biology exam tomorrow and are supposed to go to New York next weekend for Marcus. Right now, it would be really inconvenient if either one of us got sick."

Cody nodded. "You're right. Alright, Doc. Get us a couple of loaded needles."

After getting their shots, they headed back to the library to study before heading off to their economics discussion group. From there, they hit the dining hall for dinner with Tapeworm and Gertie before heading back over to the library to continue studying. By midnight, they thought they were prepared for their test and called it a night.

The next morning, they took their Molecular Biology exam before heading off to their Physics lab. But by the time they got to their lab, Bailey began feeling a little funny. She found her self coughing, getting a little congested and her head getting fuzzy. But she shook it off as best as she could to get through their lab that week. But by the time they finished close to three thirty, she found herself completely exhausted. As they left the building to begin their walk back, Bailey found herself getting dizzy again, and this time, it was worse than before. Immediately, she made her way over to a bench and sat down. Naturally, Cody was concerned and followed her.

"Bails? Are you alright?"

She sighed. "Cody, I don't think so. I feel dizzy. I feel like I'm getting congested. And it feels like every joint in my body hurts..."

Cody paused and put his hand up to her forehead. And when he felt how warm she was, he began to really get concerned. "Bails! You're burning up!"

She just closed her eyes. "I don't know what happened. I felt fine earlier, and during our lab, I started not to feel so good."

He stopped to think, and that's when it came to him. "Was yesterday the first time you've ever gotten a flu shot?"

She nodded. "Yeah, it was."

"That might explain it then. The flu shot contains some of the dead flu virus so that it causes the body's immune system to build up to fight it. But in some people, it gives them flu like symptoms..."

Bailey sighed. "Great. Just what I needed now..."

Cody smiled. "Don't worry. In most people, the symptoms are gone in a few days. Until then, you've got me to take care of you."

"Yeah?"

"Of course." He grinned again. "This will let me make up a little for that marriage assignment we had a couple of years ago. For now, I want you to build up your strength before we begin walking back to the dorm. And any time you need to stop on the way, just tell me."

So, what normally was a ten to fifteen walk back to LW took close to forty minutes with Bailey having to stop a few times to get her strength back. And the stairs inside LW zapped whatever remaining energy she had left. When they got back to her room, they saw Gertie packing a bag. But immediately, she saw Bailey looked really pale.

"Is she alright?"

Cody nodded. "I think so. I think its just the after effects of the flu shot she got yesterday..."

Gertie nodded too. "The same thing happens to my Mom. I was just about to leave to go visit my aunt in New York. Do you need me to stick around?"

Cody shook his head. "Nah. I'll take care of her, but thanks for the offer."

"Alright, but I'll be back by early Sunday afternoon before the game. Sure there isn't anything I can do?"

He paused. "Actually, there is. Can you make sure she gets changed into her pajamas and then into bed? I'm going to run over to Durfee and get her some meds to take."

"I'll be happy too. Get some of that Delysum stuff for coughing. I know its always helped me."

Thirty minutes later, Cody returned back to Bailey's room after a short stop at his room to pick up his thermometer. When he got there, Bailey was underneath her covers, and it looked like she was shivering. He said down the bag of meds on her desk, and sat down next to her.

"Hey, Sweetie. How are you feeling?"

Bailey looked up at him. "S...s...so cold."

He nodded. "I bet. Tell you what. If you can sit up and take some medicine for me, I'll run down to my room and get my electric blanket for you. I also need to take your temperature too."

Bailey complied and slowly sat up. And while she did that, Cody poured her two doses of medication. One was Delysum, and the other was DayQuil. One by one, Bailey drank both of the cups of medicine, but she grimaced when she was done.

"That stuff tastes like...well...I can't think of anything bad enough to compare it to."

Cody smiled. "I know, but they'll make you feel better. Now, its time for your temperature."

He slid the thermometer under her tongue, and a minute later, he checked it. "101 degrees. Bails, you just lay down and let the medicine do its work. Hopefully, your fever will break soon. And now, I promised you my electric blanket, I'll be right back."

Ten minutes later, the blanket was beginning to warm her up. And the medicine must have begun to kick in a little as she seemed more comfortable. Gertie pulled Cody to the side.

"You sure you don't want me to stick around?"

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. You go ahead. I'll take care of her."

She smiled at him. "You're a good boyfriend to her."

He smiled back. "I love her, and she'd do the same for me."

Gertie nodded. "Well, feel free to crash on my bed if you want to keep an eye on her overnight."

"I appreciate that. And you have fun in New York." He grinned. "Take notes for us for when we go there next weekend."

Gertie headed out soon afterwards, and Cody checked on Bailey again. Fortunately, she was resting peacefully. So, he sat down at her desk and pulled out her lap top. He figured he had some time, so he would catch up on his e-mails.

A few hours later, Bailey woke back up. She tried to sit up, but when she did, the room started spinning on her again. When she groaned, Cody was immediately over by her side.

"How you feeling?"

Bailey sighed. "I feel like I'm on the Tea Cups, and I can't get off..."

Cody smiled at her. "I know. I've been there before. Bails, its almost 7:30. Are you feeling hungry at all?"

She shook her head. "Not in the least." She sighed. "But I know I should eat because the nutrients will help boost my immune system."

"Tell you what. I'll go across the street and get you some soup, a sandwich and some ginger ale."

Bailey nodded and closed her eyes again. "Okay. Good. I'll be right here."

When Cody got back, Bailey ate as much as she could, but it wasn't a lot. Instead, she just laid back down to get more rest. And that's pretty much how the rest of their night went. Close to midnight, the alarm on Cody's watch went off. Gently, he shook Bailey awake.

"Sweetie...Its time for more medicine. And this one will knock you out for the night."

She just nodded as she sat up to drink down her NyQuil. And once again, she frowned. "That's worse than the other stuff..."

"I know, Baby. But now, you'll sleep well tonight."

Bailey looked up at him. "Will you be here when I wake up?"

He smiled. "Of course I will. I'm going to stay up here with you. I am going to go downstairs and change real quick though. You need me to get you anything while I'm gone?"

She shook her head. "No...just hurry back."

And Cody did. He wasn't gone more than ten minutes. And Bailey fought off the sleep that was trying to overtake her until he did return. When he did, she sighed in relief.

"Good. You're back. I feel better knowing you're here with me."

Cody leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I wouldn't be anywhere else. Now, get some rest and feel better. Love you, Sweetie."

Bailey closed her eyes and smiled. "Love you too. Thank you, Cody Bear."

The next morning, it was time for more medicine and another taking of Bailey's temperature. And it was down to 100 degrees, so Cody felt better about that. Bailey insisted she take a shower and that it would make her feel better. Cody relented, but said that he wanted her back in bed when she was done. And while she was doing that, Cody would get cleaned up too and go get them some breakfast. But when he got back to her room with their breakfast, he was surprised with what he found – Bailey sitting at her desk on her laptop.

"Bails, what are you doing?"

She turned to him and smiled. "I told you that taking a shower would make me feel better. And I do. I feel 100% better now."

He sat down their breakfast, and walked over to her. And immediately, his hand went to feel her forehead again.

"Bails, it feels like you still have a fever..."

"I feel fine Cody. I promise you."

Cody paused and reached for the thermometer again. "Humor me?"

Bailey sighed. "Okay, but its going to confirm what I told you already."

After a minute, Cody checked the results again. And when he did, he shook his head. "Bails, you're back to a temperature of 101 degrees again. Its gone up since this morning."

"But Cody, I feel fine. I..." She got up to show him that she was better. But when she did, her head suddenly went light again. And she lost her balance and felt herself beginning to fall. Luckily, Cody saw all of this and was there to catch her. He just smiled at her again.

"You were saying?"

She sighed. "I think I was saying I need to head back to bed."

Cody helped her over to it and then tucked her in. "Look at it this way, Sweetie. We're ahead on our homework assignments, so a weekend off won't hurt us any."

Bailey wasn't ready to give up just yet. "Uh uh. By tomorrow morning, I'm going to feel better. I just know I am!"

"I hope you do. But until then, you're under the care of Nurse Martin..." He paused. "...Make that Dr. Martin. Anyways, Just continued getting your rest. I've got our breakfast and plenty of ginger ale for you."

"What are we supposed to do? The TV is in your room..."

He smiled again. "Simple. We'll get one of our laptops and have a movie marathon today."

She smiled back. "Well, that doesn't sound so bad."

And that's what they did. Periodically, Bailey would take more medication. And Cody went out to get their meals for lunch and dinner. By that night, they had spent most of the day just laying in bed watching movies. Close to midnight, it was time for Bailey to take her NyQuil again. And after she did, she just snuggled up to the side of Cody.

She yawned and closed her eyes. "Will you stay right here with me like this all night?"

He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Nowhere else I want to be..."

On Sunday morning, Cody woke up early and just watched Bailey sleep. He could see her eyelids fluttering, so he knew she was dreaming about something. And with a start, her eyes opened as she sat up.

"You okay, Bails?"

She took a deep breath and calmed herself down. "Yeah. I just had a really weird dream thanks to all of the medication I've been on."

He smiled. "Was I dressed up like the Tin Man again?"

Bailey shook her head. "Not this time, but a lot of our friends were in it again. It was like I was in the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

"The old campy one or the new disturbing one?"

She paused. "You know...kind of a combination of them both. I was basically the Charlie character, and my Grammy Pickett was the one going into the factory with me."

"Who else was in it?"

"Well, Woody was the Augustus character."

Cody laughed. "I can see that."

"And Addison was the one who chewed gum all the time. I think her name was Violet."

"Can see that one too."

"London was the bratty spoiled rich girl, Veruca, whose father tried to buy her everything."

He laughed again. "You're three for three so far."

"And Zack was the Mike character who loved to play video games and watch TV all day long..."

"Batting a thousand, Honey. Was I in this dream?

She nodded. "Yeah...You were the Willie Wonka character..."

Cody just looked at her. "Oh really? Again, the campy or creepy version?"

Bailey grinned. "Kind of a combination of both but still adorable none the less. Oh, and all of your Oompa Loompas looked like Moseby!"

He laughed again. "Sounds like some dream."

"It was." She smiled. "But at the end, it was just you and I alone in the great glass elevator. When we broke through the roof of the factory is when I woke up..."

"Well, it seems like you're feeling better. You ready for the test?"

Bailey nodded, and Cody took her temperature again. As he studied the results, she looked at him anxiously.

"Well?"

"99.6. Still a slight fever, but much better than yesterday."

She smiled. "See. I'm doing much better."

He nodded. "True. But not back to 100% just yet."

"But Cody! Its Sunday, and I feel fine. And we have a lot to do today. We have to do our lab report before Friday. And if we finish all of our homework, we'll have most of next week to study for our ECON 121 midterm the week after." She grinned. "And then this evening is the Super Bowl. I know you would rather watch your Patriots play in it with everyone down in the basement."

Cody paused to think. "Well..."

Bailey began to get up before Cody stopped her. "Not so fast..."

She sighed. "But Cody...I do feel fine."

He smiled at her. "I'm sure you do. But like you said, we have some big weeks coming up. I don't want you to overdo things and have a relapse. Bails, I'm not doing this to be mean..."

"I know. You're being strict because you love me and want the best for me. And Cody, I completely love you for that. But I'm tired of being cooped up in here. I'm trading one fever for cabin fever..."

He paused. "Alright, how about a compromise. We'll try studying, but in here. That way, if you do take a turn for the worse, we'll be here. And we'll watch the Super Bowl together in my room. That way, you can continue to rest, take it easy and get out of this room for a while."

She paused too to consider his offer. "Can we at least go out and eat breakfast in the dining hall?"

He grinned. "As long as its something nutritious and full of protein and vitamins. You still need to build your strength back up."

"Fair enough. Lunch too?"

"Alright."

She grinned. "And order Chinese for dinner?"

He laughed. "We'll see. Do we have an agreement?"

Bailey smiled and extended her hand. "Deal!"

So, that's what they did. And both of them turned out to be right. Bailey did feel well enough to to go across the street for breakfast and head back and do their homework. But by the time they got back from lunch, she did feel physically drained. She didn't even complain when Cody suggested an afternoon nap.

_Boston_

In the Martin suite, Zack had invited a few people over to host his own Super Bowl Party. Before the game was going, people were milling about the suite when Amanda walked up to him.

"You as nervous as I am right now?"

Zack shrugged. "Not really. It is what it is. I don't expect to win, so I won't be terribly disappointed if we don't. It would be nice if we flip things though..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, a few years ago, it was the freaking Giants who ruined the Pats perfect season in the Super Bowl. It would be cool if we were the ones who did that to the Packers."

Amanda nodded. "Yeah, I hadn't thought of that before."

Zack was about to say something when there was a knock at the door. He opened it to find Skippy standing there again.

"Hey, Skipster...What's up?"

"Telegram for you, Zack..."

Zack nodded and took it. And when he read it it, he immediately frowned and his mood soured.

_New Haven_

That Sunday evening, Cody and Bailey headed down to Cody's room for the game, and they did order Chinese food. And the Patriots did make it a game for a half, but the Packers were just too much for them offensively. But if you asked Bailey about the second half, she couldn't tell you anything about it as she fell asleep during the halftime show. And Cody knew she still needed her rest, so he just let her sleep and kept his groans of displeasure at the game to himself. When Tapeworm and Gertie stopped by the room afterwards, Tapeworm was...well, he really wasn't angry but more saddened. But Gertie had a grin from ear to ear. After her Ravens had suffered such a heartbreaking loss, she was happy that the team that had beaten them had gotten blown out.

"How is she feeling?"

Cody looked down at Bailey. "Much better I think. But she's still worn out. She was out like a light during Madonna's performance. Can't say I blame her though. Madonna hasn't been relevant in almost ten years."

Gertie nodded. "Tell me about it. But looks like you'll have to wake her to get her back upstairs. Plus, she'll need to be awake for her nightly doses of medication."

Cody paused and nodded. That was true. So, he did the only thing he could think of it – he carried her back up to her room bridal style. And that took him a while mostly because the stairs were not too easy to climb while carrying someone. Gertie had unlocked the door, and Cody brought Bailey inside and laid her down on her bad. And that was when she woke up.

"Cody?"

He smiled at her as he tried to catch his breath. "Hey, Sweetie."

She paused. "How did I get back into my room?"

"I carried you up here."

She paused again. "You carried me? No offense, Sweetie, but..."

He laughed. "Yeah, yeah...I know. I haven't always proven to be the strongest of people. But, I have on occasion shown I do have it in me. You remember that heavy case in Greece?"

Bailey stopped to think and then smiled. "I do remember that now..." She yawned. "Thank you, Cody Bear. How did the game end?"

He sighed. "Not well. But its time for your medication again, Sweetie."

She nodded, and once again drank down the disgusting green liquid. As she settled back into her bed, Cody sat there with her.

"Cody, tomorrow, I'll do even better than I did today. I think this was just a 48 hour bug."

"I hope so, Honey."

She yawned again. "And Sweetie...thank you for taking care of me all weekend."

He smiled at her. "You are very welcome. I'm just glad you're feeling better."

"Me too..." She yawned once again. "Cody?"

"Yeah, Sweetie?"

"You make a much better nurse than you did a patient..."

_Boston_

After the game, everyone had left to head home. But Zack was still upset about the telegram he received before the game. Looking at it again, he shook his head again.

_Good luck to your Patriots in the Super Bowl. Maybe with them not playing my Giants, they actually have a chance of winning this one? See you real soon, Maya_

__To be Continued...__


	20. A Day of Differing Emotions

_Episode 20_

__"A Day of Differing Emotions"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__New Haven__

By Monday morning, Bailey was feeling much more like her old self, and her temperature was back to normal. Still, while she was feeling much better, it was still going to take a few more days for her to get all of her strength back. So, that night, it was no surprise to anyone when she was yawning by ten o'clock that night. Deciding to call it a night early, she and Gertie headed back up to their room while Cody and Tapeworm were going to stay up a little while longer to watch the end of the Celtics game. Well, that was the plan until Cody received a call on his cell phone.

"Hello?"

_"Cody! Its me, Marcus! Calling to verify everything for this weekend."_

Cody smiled. Probably a good idea. What all do you have planned?"

_"To begin with, naturally, you guys will stay at my place. I'll e-mail you directions in the morning. By the way, what time will you guys get here on Friday?"_

"Our physics lab ends at 3:30, so it might be closer to 4:30 by the time we get on the road. Depending on traffic, we should get there about 6:30 or 7:00."

_"Good. Plenty of time for us to go out and get some dinner after you get here. Now, for Saturday, I have everything planned. I'm thinking I'll get us all tickets to my show for that night followed by a dinner at one of the nicest places in town. Maybe after that, a horse drawn carriage ride through Central Park. I really want to go all out to impress Courtney."_

Cody shook his head. "I'd advise against doing that."

_Marcus frowned. "Why?"_

"Because you said you wanted to show her that you are a normal, average guy. Taking her to your own musical might send the wrong message. Now, I'll agree that seeing a show is a good idea, but not the one you're producing. It could come off as conceited."

_"You may have a point there."_

"Maybe something like Anything Goes or The Lion King. Something romantic yet safe. I'd stay away from The Book of Mormon though. While I hear great things about it, it might not set the right mood for Valentine's Day."

_"Good call. I know one of the producers of The Lion King. I can get tickets to it with no problems."_

"As for dinner, some place more moderate yet romantic might be better. Ask around. I'm sure there are all kinds of romantic hole in the wall type places that would be much better. It shows you know a good time, but you don't want to flaunt your money to her."

_"Yeah, yeah. That's good. Let me write this down." He paused to scribble it down. "Cancel the horse drawn carriage too?"_

Cody laughed. "Don't you dare! I actually like the sound of that. Just make sure you reserve us separate carriages. No offense, but I will want some alone time with Bailey."

_Marcus laughed. "Understood."_

"Just remember. You're a former child star. You want to come off to this girl as the Anti-Beiber..."

_"Tell me about it. With all the stories coming out about him, he's making all of us former child stars look bad. You really think that kid is his?_"

Cody shrugged. "Not sure, but a simple DNA test would answer everything. Besides, the girl is willing to subject herself to statutory rape charges. So, either there is something to it, or she has a terrible attorney..."

After Cody got off the phone, Tapeworm just looked at him and shook his head.

"Valentine's Day. One of the days a year where I'm glad I'm still single. I swear, I think its just a conspiracy between the florist, candy and card companies to extort guys all over the world."

Cody laughed. "You could be right about that. But, its something we have to do, and it can actually be a lot of fun."

Tapeworm laughed too. "Though, I bet you are golden this year, huh? I mean...after you spent all of this past weekend taking care of Bailey, you shouldn't have to do too much, right?"

Cody just shook his head. "Yeah, right. Besides, I took care of her because I love her."

Tapeworm just rolled his eyes. "Well, yeah...everyone around here knows that. What I mean is that after what you did, you should have just banked beaucoup brownie points."

Cody rubbed the back of his head and laughed again. "Tapeworm, Tapeworm, Tapeworm. Brownie points are kind of like Fight Club. As guys, we know they exist. But the first rule is you never talk about them. Ever. Especially to your girlfriend."

"Why not?"

"Because if we ever do bring them up, it makes it look like we just do things to accumulate them. And that's the last thing we want. Its better that we just leave everything unspoken. Now, in the future, if I do or say something stupid, I can't just ask if we are even after taking care of her this weekend. I'd rather stick my hand under a running lawn mower than do that. At the same time, Bailey will never say we're even either. She'll just forgive me a lot sooner than she would have normally. That's just the way it works."

"Sounds complicated."

"Oh, it can be, but its all worth it. I mean...I love Bailey with all of my heart and soul. That's why I've sat through every single Twilight Movie while I would have preferred to bang my head against the wall instead. But, I just grin and bear it and make her think I'm enjoying them too. In the future, if there is a movie I want to see that she doesn't, I know she'll go with me to see it. You know...kind of you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. The point is that you can never talk about it though..."

"I guess I can see that. So, what did you end up getting Bailey anyways?"

Cody smiled. "Well, we've agreed to wait until Valentine's Day itself to exchange gifts, but I've ordered a dozen roses to be delivered to her on Tuesday along with several bags of the candy hearts that say 'Cody & Bailey' on them. And the piece de resistance is I designed her very own Cody Bear from that build-a-bear place."

Tapeworm grinned. "I think she'll really like all of that. Even more points for you to build up yet never talk about."

__Bailey and Gertie's Room __

The ladies were getting ready for bed as well when Gertie looked over at Bailey.

"So, after this weekend, I bet you're really going to get Cody something good for Valentine's Day, huh?"

Bailey smiled. "I ordered his Valentine's Day gifts weeks ago. On Tuesday, a personalized chocolate heart will be delivered to him with a message telling him how much I love him on it. I got it from a chocolate factory in Belgium we went to together. This time, he'll know its for him and that I mean every word it says. And then, I found this place on line that will take a picture and reproduce it onto a blanket. So, I sent in a picture of us taken at our prom last spring for it."

Gertie smiled back. "That all sounds so sweet." She sighed. "I can't wait until I find a guy worth doing that kind of stuff for..."

"You will. Just be patient. You never know when you'll find him. You could have already met him for all you know."

She nodded. "I know." She paused and grinned again. "Well, I am guessing that Cody's bank of brownie points is probably pretty full right now, huh?"

Bailey shook her head. "Nah. We don't believe in things like brownie points. We believe in doing things for the other because we love each other and want to make the other happy. We don't do things to try to get credit for them."

Gertie just looked at her. "So, he didn't earn a little goodwill in your book after everything he did for you this weekend?"

Bailey smiled. "Well, of course he did. But neither he or I subscribe to something as prosaic as brownie points." She laughed. "Believe me. If we did, my bank would be full as well. Do you know how many times I've watched movies with him that I didn't want to? I mean...the A-Team was alright the first couple of times I watched it, but Cody seriously loves that movie for some reason and can't get enough of it. But, I just grin and bear it because I love him. And I know he does the same for me. He tries to hide it too, but I know he thinks the Twilight movies are the dumbest things in the world."

"So, you don't see it as a trade off? You know, see one for him so he will see one for you?"

Bailey shook her head. "Not at all. And I don't think Cody does either."

Gertie just shook her head. "Maybe you're right. I just know you are very lucky. At the boarding school I went to, a lot of the girls' boyfriends in the boys school across the lake would tell them to call them when they felt better if they got sick. But Cody never left your side and took care of you all weekend."

Bailey smiled. "I know. And its like I said. We do things for each other because we love each other. Not because we expect anything in return."

__Boston__

On that Friday afternoon, Zack and Amanda were leaving their last class for the day when they noticed all of the fliers up for the school's big Valentine's Day dance. Both just shook their heads and rolled their eyes.

"I swear...This is the worst time of year when you're single."

Zack nodded. "Tell me about it. At least my wallet will be happy this year. Last year, I spent an entire paycheck from the smoothie counter just taking Maya out to dinner on Valentine's Day."

Amanda laughed. "Awww...poor baby."

He sighed. "And I blame my brother for that. He and Bailey had just gotten back together, so he decided he was going to go all out to romance her and show her how much she meant to him. I had to follow suit so I wouldn't look bad in Maya's eyes..."

"Well, this year, neither of us has to worry about that. Both of our siblings and their significant others are out of state, so we won't have to deal with having them flaunt it in our faces."

"Good point. And I have no desire to go to that dance and be around happy couples. No thanks."

She grinned. "No desire to pull another Halloween, huh?"

Zack rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that would go over really well. Its bad enough I've given the Codester permanent blackmail on me for that. Last thing I want to do is head back home like that for my Mom to see..." He paused. "You know what? This year, I want to do the Anti-Valentine's Day. I want to go to the least romantic restaurant and then go see a movie with a high body count!"

Amanda laughed. "That does sound like fun. Have room for one more?"

"Sure." He laughed too. "Just don't expect me to show up with flowers or candy or anything like that!"

"As long as you don't mind that I'm dressed comfortably and not to impress anyone!"

"Deal!"

__New Haven__

On early Saturday evening, Tapeworm was once again taking his laundry down to the basement. He figured it would be a good time to do it as everyone else would be out doing doing their Valentine's Day thing. And as he was sorting his clothes again to put them in the washers, he heard a voice from behind him.

"We really have to stop meeting down here like this..."

He turned to see Gertie smiling holding her own laundry baskets. He smiled back. "Well, I did tell you this was the best time to get the machines all to yourself."

"I remembered. Probably because we're two of the only people in the dorm who don't have other plans tonight."

Tapeworm nodded sadly. "That would be true as well. But as today is a day for people in relationships and I'm single, my calendar was empty."

She sighed. "Same here." She laughed. "Unfortunately, there isn't a football game for us to argue over coming on later."

"Tell me about it. And the Celtics already played this afternoon. I'm looking at doing my laundry and then heading back up to my room to probably veg out in front of the TV."

"At least you have that. I'll probably head upstairs to do some homework..."

Tapeworm shook his head and laughed. "Wow! How pathetic are we?"

"I would say pretty pathetic..."

He paused. "You know. We should do something then. Everyone else on this campus is having fun, why can't we?"

She smiled. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, there's a midnight showing of Holy Grail over at the Criterion Cinemas. We could hit that up and grab some food at BW3s before hand. I figure it shouldn't be too crowded tonight."

"It shouldn't be in theory..." She paused and grinned. "I say we go for it! Sounds like a lot of fun."

He grinned back. "Alright then! We should get going on our laundry then..."

__Boston__

Zack and Amanda were leaving the movie theater, talking and laughing about the film they had just seen. They decided to stop by a Starbucks near the campus to get something hot to drink, and as they did, they kept talking.

"It was so good to see a movie for Valentine's Day that I didn't have to watch someone get their heart broken..."

Amanda laughed. "I don't know about all of that. I think the guy who got shot in the heart definitely has his broken now."

Zack laughed too. "Good point. And the only point I got choked up is when they blew up that car. That was a beautiful car!"

She rolled her eyes. "Boys and their toys. Besides, I saw you getting a little emotional when the guy put the flowers on the grave..."

"They killed his dog! You don't go around killing a guy's dog! And then they wondered why he was so upset and wanted revenge! Are they idiots?"

"I guess so. But don't you think it was a little bit unrealistic for them to end things in an old sawmill? That's so cliche. Things like that never happen in real life!"

Zack paused and shuddered. "Actually, more often than you would think..."

"What are you talking about?"

He sighed and gave her a brief rundown of his and Cody's experience with the Gemini Project. And despite the seriousness of it, Amanda couldn't help but laugh.

"Let me get this straight. You two could actually read each other's minds and feel what the other was feeling?"

Zack nodded. "Yeah. For a little while until the effects of the fruit wore off. Trust me. I have no desire to have such a close knowledge of how my brother's mind works ever again..."

"Awww..." She laughed. "It couldn't have been that bad..."

"Oh, it was..." He paused. "But it did help me understand him a whole lot better in some ways. I mean, I got to feel first hand how he felt when ever he saw Bailey and then kissed her."

"And?"

"Well, they had had an argument before we went there, and I could feel how much he was hurting. But when she, Woody, London and Moseby showed up to rescue us, I could feel how happy that made him."

"Of course he was. You were getting rescued."

"More than that though. When he kissed her, I could feel just how happy he was. I could feel his heart racing and the feeling of peace and contentment he had. It was like once she was there with him, all was right in his world again."

"Well, I did meet them on New Year's. Its easy to see how crazy they are about each other."

"I know." He paused. "And in some ways, I'm jealous of him for that."

"What do you mean?"

"Because I thought I had the same thing with Maya. But I didn't. They found there way back to each other and are stronger than ever. Even when they were apart, they still loved each other and were miserable without the other. I know Maya sent me a letter over Christmas telling me how much she missed me, but its not the same. When push came to shove, they fought along side each other to keep them together. Despite what Maya said in her letter, she's never fought for me."

Amanda nodded. "I can see that. And know the feeling."

"And they are off living their lives. They may be living in dorms, but they control their own lives. They have the freedom we all had on the boat that I don't have any more."

She just looked at him. "Well, you could have that too. You are making good money in your job. You could easily afford your own place you know..."

Zack just looked at her. "My own place where? The Tipton is close to work and school. I'd never find a place with such a good location."

Amanda paused and nodded. "I guess that is true."

He grinned. "Besides. If I moved out, who would do my laundry and cook for me? All I can cook is lemon tarts..."

She just shook her head.

__New York City__

Bailey, Cody, Marcus and Courtney were all sitting in an out of the way Italian restaurant just sipping on cappuccinos taking it easy. They had gone out to see The Lion King earlier before heading to the restaurant for dinner. And Cody and Bailey were enjoying meeting Courtney, and likewise, she was enjoying meeting them. They had spent a lot of time comparing and contrasting Ivy League universities. As they were drinking their cappuccinos, Courtney turned to Marcus.

"You know. I have to admit that I was a little worried about what you had planned for tonight, but its all been perfect."

Marcus just grinned. "Well, Cody and I have been planning tonight since I brought up the idea to him. We thought you two would enjoy our idea."

"I really did." She laughed. "For some reason, I had this silly idea that you were going to take us to your show tonight and then some fancy restaurant afterwards. I'm glad I was wrong."

Marcus let out a nervous laugh. "Like I would do something like that..."

Cody did everything he could to keep a straight face, and he decided to help out his friend by changing the subject. "So, Courtney. You saw you're pre-law. Planning on staying at Columbia for that or looking elsewhere."

She shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. I know I've only been in New York since August, but I love it here. Its completely different from California where I grew up."

Bailey shook her head. "Leaving California to head to New York for college. That must be a culture shock."

Courtney laughed. "It really is. Out in LA, you had to have a car to get everywhere. Now, my car is parked, and I haven't driven it since I got back for Christmas break. There's no need to. I can take a cab, bus or subway to get anywhere I need to go."

Cody smiled. "Well, I guess it also doesn't hurt that Marcus' Dad is a federal judge down in Atlanta. He'd be a great source of advice for law school let alone a letter of recommendation."

She smiled. "I hadn't even thought about that yet. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

Marcus shook his head and laughed. "I'm at a table with a future lawyer and two future doctors. Doctor Pickett and..." He grinned. "...Doc Martin. I might have to start calling you 'Doc', Cody. Someone to to keep me healthy and take care of my footwear."

Cody sighed. "Unfortunately, not the first time I've heard that one..."

Courtney shook her head. "Well, I don't envy you two. I hear organic chemistry can be rough."

Bailey smiled. "Well, we're actually looking forward to it, but that will be next year. Medical schools require two semesters of it with accompanying labs. Fortunately, the Yale biology department requires one semester of it and will count the other one as an elective for the major."

Marcus shook his head this time. "I'm glad I'm done with school now. You three can keep doing it, but for me, no thank you!"

Cody just looked at him and grinned. "Afraid you'll get confused as to whether 'Lunch' actually means lunch or a class on it again?"

Marcus glared at him. "Before I got to the ship, all I had was tutors. I just wanted to make sure."

Courtney laughed. "Okay, okay. You two have to tell me stories about Marcus on the ship."

Cody grinned again. "Well, be careful if you play Marcus in chess. He is the boat champion after all."

Marcus rolled his eyes. "That was pure luck. When I had to take over for you, I had no idea what I was doing."

Bailey turned to Cody. "Why did he have to take over for you?"

"Because Woody, London, Zack and Maya got trapped in her shoe submarine and were running out of air. They needed someone who could speak Russian to tell the guys operating it to bring it up, and I was the only one who could."

Bailey was a little taken aback. "So, you saved their lives?"

Cody shrugged. "I guess I did in a way. It was while you were gone back to Kettlecorn."

She smiled. "I'm glad I know that now." She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Marcus laughed. "Besides, I think I won was because our opponent was sad that you had left the game. I think she was showing some major interest in you, Man..."

Cody paused. "I didn't notice...There is only one girl I notice, and that's Bailey..."

Bailey laughed and kissed his cheek again. "Nice save..."

Marcus turned to Courtney. "And when these two weren't being idiots, that is how they were with each other..."

Courtney smiled. "I like it. There's nothing wrong with two people in love showing how they feel for each other."

He grinned. "I'll have to remember you saying that..."

"Settle down..." She turned back to Cody and Bailey. "Tell me more stories about him."

Bailey paused. "Well, if he has a fear of spiders now, its understandable. You see..." And she explained about Marcus's adventures in South America. Courtney was laughing so hard, she was almost crying. Marcus was shaking his head though.

"Yeah. I enjoyed so much dealing with the spider on steroids who beat me with a 2X4." He smirked. "And they forgot to mention how they almost left me there to be spider chow!"

She kept laughing. "Awww..."

Bailey kept going. "And be worried if finds any 'magic' lamps. We all kind of got wish crazy when we thought we had found one."

Cody laughed. "I remember that now. Oh, and he did show everyone his noble side. He helped us shut down the boat so we wouldn't hit a pod of blue whales." He paused and contemplated telling Courtney about Marcus drinking Kirby's sweat, but Cody decided against that.

Courtney smiled. "Good to know. Sounds like you guys had all kinds of adventures on the boat. I bet you miss it there a lot."

Bailey nodded. "Sometimes. Like when there is a blizzard outside, and we had to walk across campus to get to class. It made us miss being able to get to the classroom from our cabins without ever having to go outside."

Marcus smiled. "That was nice. And sometimes, I miss living with Zack. Other times, not so much..."

Cody laughed again. "You're preaching to the choir here, Man..." He turned to Courtney. "We had a lot of fun on the boat and have a lot of good memories." He took Bailey's hand in his. "And no offense Marcus, but I brought the best part of the boat with me to Yale."

Bailey smiled at him. "Me too."

Marcus smiled. "No offense taken." He checked his watch. "Well, ladies, Cody and I have one more surprise on the agenda for you tonight. We should probably get on to it as Cody and Bailey have to leave to head back early tomorrow."

Courtney sighed. "I know. I have to get back to studying tomorrow too. I hope we can all have breakfast together before you have to head back."

Bailey nodded and smiled again. "We'd love too."

The ladies got up to use the restroom while the guy's paid for the bill. Marcus nudged Cody.

"Thanks for the change of plans. You were right."

"You should be thanking me for keeping the bucket of Kirby's sweat to myself too."

Marcus shuddered. "Don't remind me. But in my defense, I was really, really thirsty..."

Cody grinned. "Well, for what its worth, Courtney seems really nice. She's sweet, funny, smart and seems willing to put up with you. Take it from someone in the same position. Those are the kind that you hold on to."

"I know. I really do like her. And she seems to like you guys too, and you both made me look good. Hopefully, the four of us can get together to this again soon."

The guys took the ladies to Central Park, and they were thrilled with the carriage rides. And both rewarded their dates with kisses as they enjoyed the ride. The next morning, they all did have breakfast before Cody and Bailey headed back to New Haven. And on Tuesday, Cody and Bailey went out for dinner again to have their own private celebration. Both loved their gifts from the other.

"Cody! He's adorable! I love it!"

"Well, you have another Cody Bear to snuggle with when we have to be apart."

She smiled. "Yeah, I do. He'll be no match for the real thing though..."

He smiled back. "Good. And I can't wait to snuggle with you under my new blankie. And this one, I hope you know you will never have to compete with."

"I know..." She paused and looked at her bear again. "I do have a question though..."

"What's that?"

"Don't you have a sweater vest that is identical to the one my bear is wearing?"

__To be Continued...__


	21. The Best Laid Plans

_Episode 21_

__"The Best Laid Plans"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__New Haven__

The three weeks between Valentine's Day weekend and the beginning of spring break seemed to last forever. For one, due to a groundhog in western Pennsylvania named Phil seeing his shadow a couple of weeks prior, everyone was blessed with/doomed to six more weeks of winter. So, New England snowstorms returned back with a vengeance to make everyone's lives a little more miserable if not just colder.

For Cody and Bailey, the week back from New York was spent studying for their ECON 121 exam on that following Thursday. And while both felt they did well on it, they heard more than a few of their fellow classmates complaining about it as they left the classroom that morning. But they had other things on their minds – namely what they were going to do on their spring break in a few weeks. And as Yale actually gave their students two weeks for spring break, they had twice the amount of time to figure out how to spend.

"Any ideas?"

Cody shrugged. "Not really. The past three years, its always been taken care of for us. We were usually always some place with interesting things to see and do...and it was usually warm."

Bailey sighed. "Tell me about it. And we have two weeks to worry about. I would suggest we could go back to Kettlecorn, but the price of plane tickets now would be outrageous."

He nodded. "And I guess we could always head back to Boston, but the weather there isn't going to be any better than it is here."

"And we can't stay here. The dorms may be open, but none of the dining halls will be."

"And I don't think somewhere like Panama City or Daytona Beach for spring break is really our style."

She laughed. "You can say that again."

"And I have no desire to spend it like we did last year. I've had my share of other twins to last me a lifetime. But, what other options do we have?"

"Agreed on avoiding another Gemini Project." Bailey paused to think. "Well, we do have those projects due in our freshman seminar the week we get back. So, I guess we could go to Boston for a few days and just hole ourselves up to get those done."

Cody nodded. "That could work. But what about afterwards? I mean, other than almost being merged with Zack last year, I really did enjoy just seeing random attractions and points of interests with you last year."

She smiled. "So did I..." She paused as an idea came to her. "I've got it! Why don't we do the same thing around New England?"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Maybe we can go see things like the Lizzie Borden house and things like that. And we can make it an adventure. We can camp out and rough it!"

Cody considered that and nodded. "That does sound kind of fun. But I have to forewarn you. I was a terrible Wilderness Scout. I know what to do in theory, but doing it in reality is a whole different ballgame. You remember how inept I was when we got stuck on that deserted island."

Bailey laughed. "I think we'll be fine. Besides, I wouldn't say you were completely inept. You were the one who did get us rescued after all. Between the two of us, there should be nothing we can't handle."

"Well, we'll have to pack very warmly. It'll be very cold outside where ever we are..."

She grinned. "Even more reason for us to cuddle close together at night, don't you think?"

Cody grinned back. "Alright! I'm convinced! Lets go make a list of things we want to see!"

__Boston__

On that Friday, Zack and Amanda were walking out of their last class of the day and into the middle of another New England blizzard.

Zack got out his gloves, his stocking cap and zipped up his coat. He began mumbling under his breath. "If I ever catch that rat that caused us to have more winter, I'll...I'll...well, I don't know for sure, but it will be bad!"

Amanda laughed. "Just make sure you save some for me. What I wouldn't give to be somewhere tropical right now."

"This time last year, I was somewhere tropical. I'll give the the captain of the ship some credit. The only times I really had to deal with the cold were when we were in Sweden and when I went to Antarctica. And the last one I chose to go to on my own..." He sighed. "I miss the boat."

She just shook her head. "It won't work. I won't feel sorry for you getting to circle the globe on a cruise ship in high school while I froze my butt off up here in Boston. So, don't look to me for sympathy..."

He sighed again. "At least spring break is coming up in a few weeks. That'll be nice to have a week to do absolutely nothing."

She just looked at him. "Nothing? How did you pull that off? I may not have to go to school that week, but my Dad's already told me he expects me to work in one of the stores at least three days that week. I'll be lucky to have a long weekend!"

Zack paused. "Well, I guess I just assumed Moseby would give me the week off."

She laughed again. "Yeah...good luck with that. You know what happens when you assume."

He groaned. "Man, that would totally suck! You're right! Moseby is totally going to make me work that week!" He shook his head. "This is completely unfair!"

"Why do you say that?"

"I talked to Cody last night. He and Bailey get TWO weeks off for spring break. They're going to come back to Boston for a few days before heading out to see New England while they camp out."

Amanda shuddered. "Camping out in this weather? No thank you!"

"I said the same thing, but then Cody reminded me it would just be the two of them in a tent real close to each, sharing a sleeping bag together to stay warm. I had to admit...I was actually proud of him for thinking of that."

"Still...No running water...no electricity...no television...no bathrooms? No thanks. I fully admit that I'm a city girl. To me, roughing it is only having basic cable..."

Zack laughed. "I can't say I blame you. I think three years of living in a hotel and three more living on a cruise ship might have spoiled me a little..."

"I would say so..."

"But you did bring up a good point. I need to talk to Moseby next week about spring break."

__New Haven__

The next week, Cody and Bailey got a few surprises in their classes, but not all of them were ones they were happy about. On Monday, it was from their Molecular Biology professor.

"You all did well on our first exams in my class." He passed back the exams, and Cody and Bailey were both happy to see they had gotten A's on it. But then the professor continued. "So, I want to go ahead and announce when the second exam will be. I've scheduled it for March 23rd. That will be the Friday once everyone returns from spring break."

And with that announcement, almost the entire class groaned their displeasure. As Cody and Bailey walked out of class that morning, they looked at each other.

"I think we may have to revise our spring break plans now..."

Bailey nodded. "It looks that way." She smiled. "Maybe we should do our little tour of New England the first week, and then we'd have the entire second week to do our projects and study for our biology test."

Cody paused to think. "Yeah, that would probably be the best idea."

They got their next dose of good news/bad news the next day. In their microeconomics class, they got back their first exams as well. And the good news is they both got A's again on them. The bad news came in their macroeconomics class right after it. At the end of class, the professor addressed his students.

"Alright everyone. I've scheduled our midterm for Thursday, March 22nd. This will give you all of spring break to study for it. And since you'll have two weeks to study for it, expect it to be a doozy!"

Again, walking out of class that day, Cody and Bailey looked at each other again.

"Looks like we need a Plan C now..."

Bailey sighed. "Tell me about it. Maybe we can go camping on Saturday through Wednesday of the first week? That way, we'd have the second half of the first week and the whole next week to get done what we need to do."

Cody nodded. "I guess so. I mean...this can't get any worse, can it?"

And the next day, Cody wish he had kept his mouth shut. Their final dose of bad news came during their physics class that next morning. And at the end of the period, their professor stopped his lecture early to talk to his class.

"Alright Ladies and Gentlemen, I've had several students stop by my class telling me about the trouble they were having grasping the information. Our midterm is scheduled for February 29th, the Wednesday before spring break..."

Cody and Bailey looked at each other and smiled. Both sighed in relief when they thought they had dodged another bullet. But the professor continued.

"But due to my concern by what some of the students have told me, I'm going to push that back to Monday, March 19th. That way, you'll have all of spring break to study and try to grasp the material. This is the best I can offer. We still have a lot of material to cover for the rest of the semester. So, instead of the exam, we'll move into new material on the 29th that will now be fair game for the midterm as well..."

Cody and Bailey walked out of their class that day shaking their heads in defeat.

"Well, I guess there goes spring break!"

Cody nodded. "I know. Three exams and a project due the week we get back."

Bailey sighed. "Don't forget a lab report too..."

He rubbed her back. "Looks like we're heading back to Boston for our entire break and spending it studying and and doing projects. I know we both enjoy our schoolwork, but I don't think either of us are looking forward to this. I was ready for a break."

"Cody, this sucks!"

"I know..." He smiled. "Tell you what though. I promise to make it up to you next year."

She just shook her head. "You have nothing to make up for. None of this is your fault."

"I know, but I hate to see you unhappy. How about next year...classes allowing...we go around to several of the Civil War battlefields like Gettysburg and Antietam. We'll even camp out then too. Maybe we'll even have time to borrow or rent a camper to hitch to the car?"

That brought a smile to her face. "That does sound like a lot of fun..."

"And we'll do our lab report on that Friday before we leave campus this year. One less thing for us to do."

"Good idea. Come on. Lets go grab some lunch before our seminar. We already have a project for that class. I doubt the professor will load even more on to us."

__Boston__

On the Wednesday afternoon, Zack stopped back by the offices of London Inns, Inc. to see Moseby. And when he got there, Moseby just waved him in while he was on the phone with someone. Finally, he ended his call and looked up at Zack.

"Come back this afternoon to do some work?"

Zack shook his head. "Nope. Actually, I came back by here to talk to you about spring break. Its coming up in a couple of weeks..."

Moseby nodded. "I know. It'll be good to have you back in here full time for a week."

Zack sighed. "That's kind of what I was figuring you'd say."

Moseby smiled. "Welcome to the real world, Zack. Besides, I am going to give you the week before finals and the week of finals off..."

"I appreciate that. I do." He sighed again. "I guess I'm just used to having spring break off. Its always been a time to forget about school and everything for a while and let my mind go blank..."

Moseby just looked at him. "And last year, that almost happened literally..."

Zack shuddered. "Don't remind me..."

"I'll tell you what, Zack. I need you to work here over spring break, but I can give you the week off between summer school sessions this summer."

Zack's eyes went wide, and he just glared at Moseby. "Summer school? You think I'm going to summer school? I don't think so!"

"Now...it wouldn't be the first time for you, now would it?"

"Still! I'm not failing anything! Why am I going to summer school?"

"There are a couple of classes you need to get out of the way before next fall..."

Zack leaped out his seat and shook his head. "Uh uh! No way! For one, you would probably make me take more classes that make absolutely no sense!"

Moseby stayed calm and just kept looking at him. "Oh yeah? Which classes don't make any sense?"

"You making me take a science course! In what way does that have anything to do with my job here?"

Moseby just smiled. "I can't tell you the why yet. Just trust me that there is a very good reason why I had you take one."

Zack just looked at him incredulously. "Why can't you tell me?"

"Well, I'm your boss, and you do what I say, right?"

He paused. "Yeah..."

Moseby grinned again. "Well, lets just say my boss told me I can't tell you why yet..."

"Your boss?" Zack paused until it hit him. "LONDON!"

"You got it. And believe me, when London tells you to do something, you listen. You remember her Uncle Teddy, right?"

Zack paused again. "Oh yeah. He always seemed like a nice guy to me. Shame that he disappeared like that..." His eyes went wide again. "No...You don't mean that she could...that she would..."

Moseby nodded. "You got it."

Zack sunk back into his chair. "Great...So, what am I taking this summer?"

"Spanish II to begin with. You need two courses in a foreign language before you move on."

Zack looked at Moseby again. "I need two courses in a foreign language before I move where?"

Moseby's eyes went wide this time. "Forget I said that." He shuffled some papers on his desk. "I need to get back to work, and you should get home to study..."

__New Haven__

That evening, Bailey, Cody, Tapeworm and Gertie were all having dinner in the dining room. And after a while, Tapeworm could tell that his two friends were bummed about something.

"You two okay?"

Bailey sighed. "Yeah, we're fine. We've just had our spring breaks slowly chipped away the past few days to where its down to nothing now."

Gertie's eyebrows raised. "Why? What happened?"

"Well, the week we get back, We have exams in Biology, Physics, Macroeconomics, and projects due in our freshman seminar. So, now, we'll be spending all of spring break doing schoolwork and studying for exams."

Cody nodded. "Mom will probably be happy to see us, but I doubt she'll actually see very much of us..."

Tapeworm just shook his head and began laughing.

Cody sighed. "Thanks, Man...We appreciate it."

"No, I'm not laughing about your misery. I was actually laughing in relief that I won't be the only one stuck doing schoolwork over spring break. I have a computer science program, an English paper, a linear algebra exam, and a Spanish exam the week I get back too. I'm in the same boat as you two. I'm heading home too, and I don't think my folks will see much of me either..."

Cody cringed. "Sounds like you'll be having as much fun as we are..."

"I'm not sure I'd consider any of this fun..."

Bailey turned to Gertie. "What are you getting up to over break? Please say its not bad as what the rest of us are looking forward to..."

Gertie let out small chuckle. "Well, yes and no. I have to do a project in my History of Architecture II class, a project for my freshman seminar too, my own English paper, and I have an exam in my political science class that week we get back. Looks like all Yale professors wanted to make sure their students have a miserable spring break."

Cody paused. "Well, what is the good part then?"

She paused and looked away. "I'll be doing all of my studying at my parent's beach house..."

__Boston__

About that same time in Boston, Carey was coming back to the suite on the 23rd floor from her rehearsal to get changed for her performance later. And when she got inside, she noticed Zack was pacing back and forth with a scowl on his face.

"Everything okay, Zack?"

He stopped and looked at his mother. "No, its not!"

"Okay...Well, what's wrong?"

"I confronted Moseby today about some of the classes he's having me take, and he let a few things slip. First is that he expects me to take summer school!"

Carey shrugged. "There have been worse things in the world, Zack...And, you have done it before."

"Because I had to to graduate middle school!" He sighed. "And I guess I have to now too..."

"What else did he say?"

"Well, I have to take Spanish II this summer because I, and I quote, 'need two courses in a foreign language before I move on'."

Carey frowned. "Need two course before you move on to what exactly?"

"That's the thing! He wouldn't tell me what. All he would tell me is that it was because of London. I'm waiting here now for her to get home so I can go confront her myself!"

Carey paused and sighed. "You might want to get comfortable then..."

Zack looked at his Mom. "Why?"

"I ran into London this afternoon. She's leaving to head to Zurich for a little while to spend time with Todd."

Zack paused to let that sink in. He grabbed his cell phone. "I'll just call her then!"

Carey smiled. "Really? You don't think by now that Moseby has already called her and told her what was going on?"

But Zack was undeterred. He dialed London's cell phone number, but he groaned when he got her voicemail. Holding his temper as best he could, he left a message asking her to call him back ASAP.

"I swear! I'm going to get to the bottom of this and soon!"

__New Haven__

Bailey, Cody and Tapeworm just looked at Gertie. She tried to avoid their looks, but finally sighed.

"Okay, okay. I come from a family with some money..."

Bailey shook her head. "That's not why we're staring. We all know London Tipton, so that's not a big deal to us. I guess we're just a little envious that you'll be at the beach while the rest of us will be stuck elsewhere..."

Gertie paused. "Oh. Well, its not like I'll be able to really enjoy it. I have as much work as you all do. Besides, the weather will be in the mid 50's if I'm lucky. Add that to the wind coming in off the ocean, my fair complexion, and I'll probably not be outside much."

Tapeworm nodded. "You make a good point. I guess I'm just envious of you not having to spend two weeks around your family while you're trying to do work. I know my Mom will constantly be fussing over me making it difficult to get anything done."

Cody sighed. "Same here. Mom will constantly be checking on Bailey and I."

Gertie paused. "Well, you guys are welcome to come with me if you want..."

Bailey looked at her. "Are you serious?"

Gertie smiled. "Sure. Why not? You guys will be studying just like I will. Plus, it will be nice to have other people around for when I will need a break. Could be fun. Besides, I know my parents would actually be happy that I won't be all alone. And I've told them all about you guys, so they know you guys aren't big party animals."

Bailey, Cody and Tapeworm all looked at each other and smiled. "We're in!"

"Good. I can't wait..." She paused. "Well, I can wait having to do all that work, but with you guys there, maybe it won't be so bad."

Bailey kept smiling. "I don't think it will be. So, where is this beach house anyways..."

Gertie paused again. "The Jersey Shore..."

__To be Continued...__


	22. The Joyzee Shore

_Episode 22_

__"The Joy-zee Shore"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Cape May, New Jersey__

The beginning of March finally arrived, and with it, spring break was now in effect at Yale. On that Friday, Cody and Bailey came back to their dorm from their physics lab and immediately began doing their laundry as they worked on their physics lab report. They figured it would be one less thing to worry about later and decided to get it out of the way. And the timing worked out just right as they finished and saved their lab report just as their dryers finished. The rest of the night, they along with Gertie and Tapeworm packed up to head out the next morning. Beyond packing, the only other thing they really did was Cody and Tapeworm moved their cars to a closer parking lot with expired monitoring after dinner. And they were going to have to take two cars because the bags and study materials for four people would not fit into just one car. Plus, they figured having two vehicles there would be better if they ever wanted to split up and go to two different places.

On Saturday morning, they loaded up the cars, grabbed a quick breakfast in the dining hall, and hit the road. Four and a half hours and numerous tolls later, they arrived at Gertie's family's beach house. And immediately, everyone else was impressed by it.

"Wow...this place is amazing!"

Cody nodded. "Yeah, it is..." He paused. "So...are you sure this is really the Jersey Shore?"

Gertie laughed. "Its nothing like you're probably imagining. That show was filmed in Seaside Heights which is on the northern part of the Jersey Shore...far away from here. Everyone down here is much more normal and...sane."

Bailey grinned and teased Cody. "Aww...And I was so much looking forward to calling you The Situation while we were here..."

Cody grinned back. "Be careful...Two can play that game...Snooki." He paused and grinned even wider. "Why do I suddenly have great ideas for our Halloween costumes next year?"

Bailey glared at him. "Don't even think about it! How about we agree never to call each other those names ever again?"

He kept smiling. "Agreed...Boo Boo."

She smiled back. "That's fine with me. I actually like that one."

Gertie just shook her head. "Come on, lets head inside and get settled in." So, everyone grabbed their bags and made their way inside. And as nice as the place looked on the outside, it was even better on the inside.

Gertie turned to everyone. "Unfortunately, there are only three bedrooms, so not everyone will have their own room..."

Bailey smiled. "Don't worry about. I think I can manage to share one with Cody for a couple of weeks, so that shouldn't be a problem. Besides, we'll be working on the same things and working together. That will give you both a room to yourselves to do your own things without having to deal with the both of us."

"You sure?"

Cody nodded. "We're positive. And since this is your family's place, you should take the master suite."

Gertie shrugged. "Actually, I'd prefer to take my old room here. I'm more comfortable in there. Besides, each room has its own bathroom. Since there will be two of you, you take the master suite, I'll take my old one and Tapeworm can have my brother's room."

Everyone got settled into their rooms, and then they decided to hit up the local grocery store to have food in the house. And beyond food, they made sure they got plenty of coffee and instant cappuccino as everyone felt they were going to need it as they dove into their studies. Once that was done, everyone decided that for the rest of Saturday, they would take it easy and cook out on the deck that night. So, for the rest of the day, they just hung out and explored the house and their surroundings. And part of that was Cody and Bailey going for a walk out on the beach. After a while, they found a dune and just sat down on it to relax.

Bailey sighed in contentment. "Isn't this place just so peaceful and relaxing?"

Cody nodded. "Yeah, it is. I think I could definitely get used to a place like this."

"Me too."

He grinned. "Trying to tell me that we need to make enough money to buy our own beach house someday?"

She laughed. "Nah. I mean...if we're lucky enough to be in that position, I wouldn't be opposed to us having a place like this someday. But, its not something I think we have to have."

"I hear you. I think being on the ship for three years got us so used to hearing the waves crash against it that that we're used to it. I remember several nights Woody and I would leave the porthole open and listen to the sounds of the ocean as it soothed us to sleep."

"I know what you mean. Of course, I could never do it on nights that London had had a mani or a pedi. She would freak out if anything came in the window and ruined them during the middle of the night."

Cody frowned. "Why didn't she just put on gloves or socks then?"

Bailey sighed. "I tried suggesting that to her, but she said they would clash with her pajamas. By then, I knew better than to argue with logic like that"

He laughed. "Alright...Well, I'm glad we're here. We have this scenery to help us relax. And I have a feeling we're going to need that in the next two weeks."

"Me too. And being in Boston would have been nice too..." She smiled. "...but this way, we don't have to hide from anyone or make excuses why we're falling asleep next to each other."

"I do like the sound of that..."

Bailey stood up. "Come on. We should be heading back. The sun is starting to set, and we should get back to begin dinner."

Cody pulled her down into his lap and grinned. "Not just yet. Let us enjoy the sunset first..."

Bailey giggled. "Well, if you insist."

"I do. Its been way too long since I last enjoyed watching the sunset over the ocean with you...B-Wow..."

__Boston__

It was Friday of that week, and Zack and Amanda were leaving their last class of the week before their own spring break began. And Zack was still worked up over what he had found out from Moseby.

"So, when does London get back from her trip to Europe?"

"Sometime next week. And I'm going to let her have it when she gets back!"

Amanda just looked at him. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

Zack frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, she is not only your big boss but your good friend. You sure you want to 'let her have it'? Besides, according to you, isn't she the one who basically made you start moving on with your life in the first place?"

He sighed. "I see your point, but I don't like the fact that she is toying with my life like its some kind of a game..."

She laughed. "And you had a girlfriend for seven months and aren't used to that by now?"

He rolled his eyes. "Very funny..."

"In all seriousness, maybe she has a good reason for what she's doing? I mean, you say you've known this Moseby guy for a long time. And despite what you say, he thought enough of you to have you be one of his best men at his wedding. So, on some level, he must like you. You really think he would let her do something that wouldn't be in your best interests?"

Zack paused. "I hadn't thought of it like that before."

"Well, maybe you should..."

"You sure you aren't studying to be a psychologist?"

She shook her head. "Actually, no. To be honest, I think I'm going to start focusing on business classes now. My sister has no interest in taking over the family business someday, and...well...I think I do."

Zack smiled. "Well, congratulations then. What does your Dad think about that?"

She paused this time. "That's the thing. He actually seemed really happy that I do have an interest. In fact, he's encouraging me to pursue a degree in business and maybe a MBA."

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Sort of..." She paused. "It means this will be my last semester here at Beacon Hill..."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if I'm going to get a degree in business, I'm going to have to transfer to a four year college. I've started looking around to find one that's a good fit for me..."

Zack paused. "Oh..."

Amanda smiled. "Don't worry. You aren't getting rid of me that easily. I'm looking at ones around the Boston area. I'm supposed to go on a tour of BC next week. So, I'll still be around. And besides, you've become a good friend of mine, Zack. I know enough to know that those don't come around very often..."

He smiled back. "You're right. I hope you'll still remember all of us little people here at Beacon Hill when you're off at a 'big' school..."

She laughed. "I won't. Maybe then, I'll actually get to take a real spring break, huh?"

"That would be nice. Unlike some people I know, I'll be spending mine working and not doing so at the beach..."

"But didn't you say that all of them have a ton of homework and studying to do while they're there? Something tells me they're not having as much as fun as you think they are..."

__Cape May, New Jersey__

About three o'clock that morning, officially now Saturday, Gertie felt herself going cross eyed working on her History of Architecture II project. Figuring that a jolt of caffeine would do her good, she left her room to go make a pot of coffee. And she was startled and jumped back when she found Tapeworm standing in the kitchen watching the coffee maker brew and make all kinds of noises.

"You scared me!"

He turned to look at her. "Sorry about that. I didn't know anyone else was up."

"I didn't either. I was just coming out to make some coffee, but I see you're one step ahead of me."

He smiled. "Should be ready in a few minutes. How is your work going?"

Gertie sighed. "Alright I guess. I finished my freshman seminar project on Wednesday, and I'm working on my architecture one now. When I realized I had read the same paragraph for the fourth time, I decided I needed caffeine."

Tapeworm laughed. "Join the club. I finished my English paper on Wednesday night, and now I'm almost done writing my computer science program. But, I've hit a snag. Ever get one of those moments were you know you've made an mistake, but for the life of you, you can't seem to find it anywhere?"

She laughed too. "All the time..."

"I figured making some coffee would give me a break from it for a little while. I'm hoping to finish it before I go to bed so I can let it compile while I sleep."

She smiled. "Well, I bet you'll find it as soon as you sit back down and feel like kicking yourself..."

"Probably." He grinned. "So, if you hear a loud noise, that's what it will be."

"Are we the only ones up?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I ran into Cody about one o'clock. He and Bailey have both finished their seminar projects and had been studying biology. They got to a stopping point about then and decided to call it a night."

About that time, the coffee maker indicated it was done, and Tapeworm poured them both a mug. "Cream and sugar?"

"Both please."

After stirring them both in, he handed Gertie her mug. "Here's to a fun filled, action packed spring break. May we not go any more overboard with how much fun we're having..."

She laughed. "I'll drink to that..."

Both took a drink, and the hot liquid both warmed them up and gave them a jolt of energy.

"Look at it this way. When it comes time for finals, we should be already used to doing this torture, right?"

Tapeworm laughed. "I certainly hope so. I'm just glad Cody and Bailey haven't begun going insane again..."

Gertie just looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Last semester, I think they almost lost their minds. I had MATH 120 with them, and when I studied with them, they found every little thing funny and were laughing their heads off."

She nodded. "I can remember going a little slap happy myself..."

"Yeah, but this was different. At times, it was like they were speaking a language that only the other could understand. I kind of envied them in that..."

"I know what you mean. I've only been around them for a couple of months, but its not hard to see how they are with each other. It must be an amazing feeling to have that level of closeness and comfort with someone else."

"Tell me about it..." He smiled. "But its a good thing. I know what to look for for myself someday. Plus, Cody and I go back a long ways. Its good to see him so happy, and Bailey's great. She's really cool and become a good friend."

Gertie nodded. "Yeah, she has. I wasn't sure what it was going to be like to have a roommate, but she's been great. I mean, she, Cody and you have all made this semester a pleasurable experience. You all like to have fun, but at the same time, are responsible enough to know when to be serious."

He laughed. "Thanks. We try."

She laughed too. "You know what I mean..."

"So, does that mean you've decided to stick with us in Berkeley or are you still thinking about heading back to Davenport next year?"

She paused. "I really hadn't thought about that yet. But I guess I need to, huh? I mean, the underclassman housing lottery will be in about a month."

"Yeah, it will. Unfortunately, as sophomores, we'll be on the bottom of the totem pole again, but at least will be in the actual colleges. No more having to walk outside to get to the dining room."

Gertie laughed again. "Very true. Plus, it might not be so bad. I think I read that anywhere from 25-30% of juniors and seniors decide to live off campus, so that should help us out some."

"I hope so. All I know is senior year, I would love to live in the swing dorm..."

She smiled. "Yeah, I've heard about that. Its the nicest dorm on campus. And you can actually have guys and girls living in the same suites."

He grinned too. "And they have their own bathrooms! With how... fastidious...Cody is, I'd never have to wear shower shoes again!"

She laughed. "Sounds like you have a plan then..."

"You know...if you stuck with us, it could be the four of us in one of those. No having to break in anyone new and seeing if you learning if you can get along with them..."

"That's a good point." She paused. "A very good point. I guess I need to talk to Bailey and see if she's willing to put up with me for another year."

"I think she will. She lived with London Tipton for three years on the S.S. Tipton. She and London are great friends, but after that, living with you has to have been a piece of cake."

__Boston__

On Tuesday morning, Zack was actually at work early. But he had a good reason to be – London was due back from Zurich that day. He had even bribed Moseby's secretary with her favorite candy to call him and give him a heads up if she caught sight of London. But like Carey had predicted, London was avoiding him, and she slipped into Moseby's office while his secretary went to the bathroom. Moseby just looked up surprised.

"London...You're back. This is a surprise. How was Switzerland?"

She shrugged. "Its no wonder they are always neutral. If those little knives they have is all they have to defend themselves, they're in trouble." She smiled. "But the good news is that it looks like Todd will be able to transfer back to a dental school in Boston next year!"

Moseby smiled. "That's wonderful news. But I do have some bad news for you. Zack is looking for you, and I'm sure you can guess why."

"I'm sure I can. That's why I'm not staying long. I just wanted to check and see how things were going around here."

He shrugged. "Everything is going fine with London Inns." He paused. "But you might want to consider telling him the truth. I mean, he is going to find out eventually."

London sighed. "I know, but there are still a few final details I have to call about and make sure everything is on track. You think you can stall him while I make a few phone calls today?"

"I'll try. But you know Zack, he's pretty relentless."

"Don't you have one of the inns you can send him on a trip too? Maybe an overnight one to get him out of my hair until tomorrow?"

Moseby sighed. "Yeah. I can send him down to the one in Providence. I was going to have them send me the estimates for the renovation, but I can send Zack to pick them up and tell him I need someone to give me a firsthand opinion of the place."

London smiled. "Good. That settles that. I'm out of here then."

And with that, London slipped back out of the office as Moseby told his secretary to have Zack come up to his office immediately. She nodded and noticed London leaving the office. She called Zack to tell him about Moseby wanting to see him and London sneaking out. Zack just shook his head in disbelief.

"You can run, London...but you can't hide forever!"

__Cape May, New Jersey__

That same morning, Cody and Bailey finally closed their Economics text book and notes, and looked at each other.

"Well, I think we have a firm grasp of everything we need for that test now."

Cody nodded. "I think so too..." He paused and frowned. "What is today?"

"Its...ummm...well...I'm not sure." She checked her phone. "Its Tuesday." She sighed. "Have we really been studying so hard that we didn't know what day it was?"

"I think so." He stopped to think. "I say we put off starting studying physics until tomorrow. I think we need a day off to unwind, clear our minds and have some fun."

"You sure? Our midterm is less than a week away now."

"Bails, I'm positive. Even with a free day today, we'll have Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And on the drive back on Saturday, we can quiz each other."

She paused. "Well, I guess that would be alright."

Cody smiled. "Come on. I'll challenge you to some skeeball and try to win you a stuffed animal down on the boardwalk. We'll get some hotdogs, cotton candy and whatever else strikes our fancy. I even hear there is a place that has deep fried Twinkies."

Bailey laughed. "Well, that does sound like fun. Just don't ever tell Woody...or Addison about the Twinkies though."

"So, does that mean you're game?"

"Yeah. I'm game. What about Tapeworm and Gertie?"

"They have another car here. Besides, I don't think they would begrudge us having a day to ourselves. When we have seen them, they've both been in their own little worlds. And, it is spring break. Aren't we obligated to have one day of being stupid and having mind numbing fun?"

She smiled. "You're. Come on. Lets go."

And that's what they did. Turns out, Bailey was really good at skeeball too. But, Cody was better. All he did was remember some of the tips Arwin had given him for bowling and converted them down to a smaller scale. And he managed to win Bailey a stuffed animal my shooting water into a clown's mouth and beating two other people. Turns out it was an octopus that bore a striking resemblance to the one the dealt with on the first day they met. After that, they rode the wooden roller coaster, the carousel and the really tall ferris wheel. From there, it was on to the miniature course where Bailey got even for skeeball and beat Cody by a stroke while winning a free game. Seems Cody wasn't the only one who had good aim that day for a clown's mouth. That was followed by just strolling down the boardwalk hand in hand, checking out some of the shops and getting a character sketch of themselves done. After having dinner out right on the promenade, they both were tired in a good way. Heading back to the house, they both felt good and relaxed.

"Well, if anyone asks, we did have one day of fun while we're gone."

Bailey smiled. "Yeah, we did. I had a great time today. But I always do when I'm with you."

Cody smiled back. "Same here. And, I think I can handle dealing with physics for the next couple of days now."

She laughed. "I know that feeling. And I have to say...I was worried about meeting some of the locals, but they all seemed normal."

"Yeah, they did. I guess that's more proof of how TV can lead you to believe something that's just not true." He paused. "Well, except for the fact that everyone around here pronounces the name of this state as "Joy-zee"

Bailey just laughed I again. "I noticed that too." She sighed again too. "I just wish today didn't have to end."

"Who says it has to? Bailey and Cody's fun day isn't over yet. How about another walk on the beach down to get some gellato? Its warm enough that is sounds pretty good."

"Sounds perfect to me. Let's go."

And that's what they did. Of course, when they finally got back for the evening, Gertie and Tapeworm wondered while they were smiling so much. And after they heard what they had done, both of them were more than a little envious. For one, neither one knew that Cody and Bailey had even left the house that day. And for another, both wished they could have their own day off.

"Guys...we had to get out of the house for the day. We were about to begin studying physics today when neither one of us realized we knew what day of the week it was. We really needed the break."

Bailey nodded. "Cody's right. And we both feel really refreshed right now and ready to get back to the grind. I would highly recommend you two doing the same thing tomorrow just for your own mental health."

Tapeworm paused. "That would probably be nice. I was planning on finishing up studying Spanish tonight before starting studying Linear Algebra tomorrow. I think a day off would do me good."

Gertie nodded. "Kind of the same way here. I finished my English paper a little while ago, and I just need to edit it now. A day off before I started studying poli sci does seem helpful." She turned to Tapeworm. "You up for a day out tomorrow?"

He nodded. "I think we both need one."

Later that night, Cody and Bailey were getting ready for bed, both ready for a good night's sleep. Bailey cuddled up to Cody.

"Thank you for today..."

He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "Any time, Boo Boo."

She sighed in contentment. "Some spring break, huh?"

"Yeah. I think we've learned a very important lesson this year."

She looked up at him. "What's that?"

He smiled. "Our spring breaks are always so much better when you plan them. When something else gets in the way of them, they end up sucking. I know we've already talked about next year, but I think you should plan all of them from now on."

__Boston__

London was taking Ivana out for a walk before bed. She would have made someone else do it, but everyone was else was busy doing actual work for the hotel.

"I'll like it better in a couple of months when I have Bailey around to do this for you..."

Ivana barked at her. London frowned. "Its not that I don't enjoy spending time with you, but...you know."

She barked again. "Okay, okay...Sheesh, Ivana. I'm sorry, okay?"

London picked up Ivana and began heading back to the hotel's front door. The door was opened for her, and London sighed without looking up. "Thanks, Norman."

"I'm not Norman..."

London turned to see it was actually Zack dressed as the doorman. "Zack!"

Zack grinned. "Yeah, its me. And I want some answers!"

__To be Continued...__

**Author's Note: Just a reminder that tomorrow, December 15 is the last day of the poll I've posted on my profile page in regards to Season 2 of SLOC. If you haven't voted already and want to, please do. When I wake up on Friday, I will close the poll and those results will be the final results. Okay, with that out of the way, good luck to everyone taking finals right now. I must say...I don't miss those in the least!**


	23. Hitting the Lottery

_Episode 23_

__"Hitting the Lottery"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

London just looked at Zack, half in surprise, half in resignation. She would have given anything to find a way to escape from the situation she found herself in. But since she could see no way out, she decided to try to turn the tables on Zack.

"Shouldn't you be in Providence?"

He just kept looking at her. "I came back early when I was done. I have everything for ready to give Moseby in the morning"

Seeing that avenue wasn't going to work, London tried another one. "Where's Norman?"

Zack just kept grinning. "On his break..."

She swallowed. "Where did you get a doorman's uniform?"

"That doesn't really matter, now does it?. Now, how about you answer some of my questions?"

London sighed, resigned to the fact that the jig was up. "Fine. Come up to the penthouse with me, and I'll answer all the questions I know you have."

Zack nodded in triumph, and he followed London up to her penthouse not leaving her out of his sight for a moment. Once inside, Zack took a seat on the couch. "Alright London...you've got some 'splaining to do!"

She nodded. "Alright, I guess it would be best if I started from the beginning. The last Christmas we spent on the boat, my magic mirror showed me a few things. You see..." And like she had with Cody and Bailey over Thanksgiving, she told him everything she her magic mirror had showed her.

Naturally, this cause Zack's mouth to fall open in shock and he just shook his head. "But...but...but..."

"I know. It sounds kind of crazy, but Cody and Bailey had the same reaction you're having now when I told them."

"They know about this and actually believed you?"

London nodded. "Yeah, they did eventually. Ant they're already taking their own measures to change what happens to the a little bit. They liked the fact they had been married for over fifty years, but I think they're making sure they get married earlier than the ten years I saw."

He sighed. "So...you're really telling me that I'm going to end up all alone, living on their couch AND I'm going to lose my hair?"

"That's what I saw..."

He sunk back into the couch just staring into space. "That sucks!"

"Trust me, I didn't like any of what I saw. Well, I mean in regards to yours and my futures. So, I decided to see if I could change what happened. The first thing I did was what I did for those kids that next day and for all of you with your gifts. The second thing was blackmailing Daddy so that Cody and Bailey wouldn't be separated due to the tornado destroying her family farm. The third thing I did was slipping the information to Bailey about what Daddy was up to and where he would be so they could blackmail him into going to Yale together."

Zack nodded. "Well, that takes care of them, but what about us?"

London smiled. "That's why I decided to look up Todd again."

"How's that going by the way?"

"So far, so good. He still has a couple more years of dental school left, but he's been talking about transferring back to a school closer to Boston." She grinned. "So, I guess we'll see what happens. But I've got a good feeling that I've already changed my future my mirror showed me."

He nodded again and paused. "So, what does this have to do with what you have planned with Moseby for me?"

London sighed. "Well, at first, I couldn't figure out why you were all alone in the future. And then Maya dumped you, and I kind of put two and two together. Zack, I watched you all summer. You had no drive or ambition, and I thought I could see you slipping away from the land of the living. So, I stepped in hoping to give you a kick in the butt to get you moving again."

"So, that's why you gave me my job?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I was hoping that once you had something to focus on, it would cause you to move on with the rest of your life as well."

He paused. "Yeah, I guess I can kind of see that. But it still doesn't explain what you and Moseby have planned for me. I still have no idea what he meant about me moving on to something."

"You're right, and I can understand why you are still confuses. Zack , I'm rich, so further education doesn't matter to me. I'm glad to be done with school. But you...well, you're poor. You will need to further your education to make sure your future is a bright one."

"And that's why you are having me take classes at Beacon Hill?"

"Sort of. Initially, I had higher aspirations for you, but there was some problems with that. So, I had you to start out at Beacon Hill to start out. Plus, I wanted to see if you were up to the challenge and serious about moving on with your life." She smiled. "And with how well you did last semester and with how well Moseby says you are doing with your job, I can see you are."

He shook his head. "You've completely lost me here..."

"I wanted you to start off at a four year school, but like Cody found out the hard way, your high school transcript sucked. But, I worked out a deal with one of Daddy's contacts who is pretty high up over at Boston University. If you're grades are good enough after one year, he will pull some strings and get you accepted to Boston University. It has one of the best programs in Hospitality Administration in the country. Its the same program that Moseby graduated from."

Zack stared at her in disbelief. "Huh?"

She laughed. "That's why I've left it up to Moseby to help you choose what classes to take. He's been there before, so he knows what kind of classes that you would have been taking your first year at BU anyways. We both wanted to make your potential transition as easy as possible."

"But...but...but..."

London kept laughing. "Take a minute to let all of this sink in."

Zack shook his head to clear his mind. And that's when something very important dawned on him. "London, I can't afford BU! That's a private school. It would take almost everything you pay me a year just to afford it. And if I go there, I won't be able to work as many hours as I have. I've listened to Cody and Bailey plan their schedules. The further along you get, you have to take classes when they are offered."

She smiled. "I know. Moseby already pointed that out to me. And I think I have an idea to solve that problem."

"I'm all ears."

"Well, for now, Daddy doesn't know that Todd and I are dating again. And it would be really bad if he found out. So, I hope no one..." She emphasized the next word. "BLACKMAILS me by threatening to tell him..."

Zack was confused again. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

London rolled her eyes. "I said I hoped no one would blackmail by threatening to tell Daddy that Todd and I are dating. I would do almost anything to keep him from finding out."

He shook his head. "What does that have to do with me going to BU?"

She just looked at him. "Seriously? And they used to say I was the dumb one?"

Zack frowned. "Yeah, speaking of that, you're really surprising me and kind of scaring me..."

She shook her head. "Nevermind that now. Let me try this one more time. If I pay for you to go to BU, will you promise not to tell Daddy that I'm dating Todd?"

He just looked at her again. "Of course I won't tell him. You're my friend, London. I wouldn't do that to you."

She smiled. "Good. Its settled then." She paused. "Almost."

"Almost?"

"Well, like I told you, you have to do fairly well at Beacon Hill for Daddy's contact to be able to get you accepted. So, to get in with out having to worry about it going through other red tape, you need to finish this year with a cumulative 3.5 GPA from Beacon Hill after this year. You got one last semester, so you just need to do as well this semester..."

Zack sighed. "Great. No pressure then."

She grinned. "Hey...I learned to speak Spanish in a couple of days to graduate. If I can do that, you should be able to pull this off..."

"Maybe..."

"I believe in you, Zack. So does Moseby. So does your Mom. And so do Cody and Bailey. When I told them what I had planned, they said they would do whatever they could to help too."

Zack smiled. "Thanks, London. You're a really great friend." He paused. "I have a lot of really great friends. I'll do my best not to let any of you down." He paused and laughed. "Me at Boston University...I guess crazier things have happened."

__New Haven__

On Satuday morning, everyone packed up their things again to head back to New Haven. Spring break was officially over, though none of the four of them could say that they had more than one day in which they really took it easy. But, all in all, it had been a successful two weeks. Everyone's projects and papers had been completed, and everyone was ready to head back and finish their studying from the comforts of their dorm rooms or the library. So, after waking up early, they decided to get on the road as quickly as they could. They figured the earlier they got back to campus, the more time they would have on Saturday to continue studying. Four and a half hours after leaving the Jersey Shore, they arrived back on Yale's campus. Cody and Tapeworm dropped off Bailey and Gertie outside of LW with all of their bags while they went to park the cars in their garage. By the time everyone was settled back into their rooms, it was close to 12:30, so they headed over to one of the open dining halls for lunch. And after that, all split into their separate directions. Tapeworm and Gertie were heading back to their rooms to study while Cody and Bailey were going over to the library. And once they did, everyone began the final countdown to their exams.

By the next Friday afternoon, Cody and Bailey struggled through their physics lab. Not because it was difficult, but because they barely had any energy left. Their physics test had been fair but brutal, and they had no idea how they had done on it. Fortunately though, in comparison, their other two tests had been relatively easy and both felt they had done really well on them. But, that week, they had continued studying into the wee hours of the morning every night, so sleep had been at a minimum. As they walked back to LW, both were missing the usual spring in their steps they would have after completing another week of classes.

"Bails?"

"Yeah?"

"If I'm still asleep by noon tomorrow, will you wake me up so I don't waste the whole day?"

She let out a weak laugh. "What makes you think I'll be awake then?"

"Touche..."

"Cody, I haven't been this tired in a long time. I wasn't even this tired last year semester during finals."

He nodded and paused to think. "You think this was our official welcome to college moment?"

"I would say so. I don't remember us ever having to work even close to this hard back in high school."

"Me either." He paused and grinned. "But guess what? We survived it. No matter what else they try to throw at us again, we might be battered and bruised, but we know we can handle it."

Bailey smiled too. "I think you're right." She took his hand. "But right now, all I want to handle is a pillow as I take a nap."

"Care to join me? Tapeworm's parents are in town and taking him out to dinner tonight. So, I should have the room to myself for a while..."

"I'd love too..." She let out a weak laugh again. "Assuming we have the energy to make it back to the dorm. If not, that park bench over there is looking more and more comfortable the closer we get to it."

__Boston__

That same Friday, Zack was in a good mood as he left his last class for the day. And Amanda could tell something was up. For the past several days, he had been in a really good mood. Deciding to go to the source, right then and there, she decided to find out why.

"So...you going to tell me what's going on, or are you going to make me guess?"

Zack grinned. "Well, lets just say that you aren't the only one who might be done with Beacon Hill after this year..."

She just looked at him. "What are you talking about?"

So, Zack explained to her about finally confronting London and everything she had told him. And by everything, he told her everything including about London's magic mirror. Amanda just stood there dumbfounded with her mouth wide open.

"Are you serious?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I am. So, I really need to buckle down the rest of the semester..." He caught himself and paused. "Huh...I've never said that before in my life." He shrugged. "Anyways, I've already checked in with my professors to find out what I need to do on the finals exams and papers to pull another 3.5."

She shook her head. "Wow...Congratulations, Zack. You're right. That story is...well, kind of crazy."

Zack laughed. "Yeah, it is, but I've experienced enough other things that are crazy that makes it look almost normal in comparison. I've seen real ghosts on three separate occasions. I witnessed my brother caught in a real life Groundhog Day scenario. When I was younger, my brother and I went to a parallel dimension. So, based on all of those, a talking mirror that tells the future is no big deal."

Amanda paused and laughed. "Can you go back and ask it for the Powerball numbers?"

He laughed again. "If it could, I think London would have already done that." He paused. "You know. London's been a lot different since graduation. She's a whole lot nicer, and she actually seems smarter. At different times over the years, both Cody and Bailey thought she actually did have it in her to be smart, but for some reason, she never let it out. Nice to see that she finally is."

"You really think so?"

"Well, she does still have her moments where you wonder if she is serious with what she says, but they aren't as often as they used to be. It used to almost be a daily occurrence."

She paused. "I see. Well, I guess that changes a lot of things huh? Like mainly your travel arrangements to and from school. To get to BU, you'll have to take the subway to get there. No more being able to walk to class anymore."

Zack stopped in his tracks. "I hadn't thought of that yet."

"Who knows? Maybe if you get in, you'll be living in a dorm." She paused. "But then you'd have to take the subway to get to work. Either way, looks like you're going to be getting familiar with the Boston subway system."

He shook his head. "No, I didn't even think about that either. Neither has my Mom. She was just so happy that I might be going to a real college with eyes on a real degree that she had tears in her eyes. I guess I need to ask London about this now..."

And that night, that's what he did. He headed back up to London's penthouse and caught her on her way out.

"London, I need to ask you something..."

She sighed. "Can it wait? Ivana and I are on our way out..."

"It'll only take a minute. I was talking to Amanda earlier, and she brought up a good point. Will I be commuting to BU or will I be living in dorm there and commuting to work?"

London just looked at him. "Huh?" She paused. "I don't know. I hadn't though about that. Moseby never mentioned that to me before."

"Well, if you don't mind, mention it to him and see what he has to say. If I'm going to be living in a dorm, I'm going to have to find a way to let Mom down gently that I'll be moving out..."

She gasped. "We don't want that! Esteban said she got restless and started butting into everyone's business when we all left for the boat. He said the entire staff was so happy every summer and when you guys came back after graduation..."

"What should we do then?"

"I don't know. Let me talk to Moseby. We'll figure something out that everyone should be able to live with."

__New Haven__

Speaking of where they would live the next year, the Berkeley College housing lottery was the next week for all the sophomores to be. Naturally, it would follow the lotteries for all juniors and seniors to be who would be living on campus. But before they got to the one for them, Gertie talked to Bailey one night before bed.

"Ummm...Bailey...can I ask you something?"

Bailey smiled. "Sure. Anything."

"Well, in a few days, there having the housing lottery. And I've really enjoyed living with you this semester, and I was wondering if..."

"If we could be roommates again next year?"

Gertie nodded. "Yeah. I'd like to stay with Berkeley, and you guys have been really great in including me into your little group. I appreciate that more than you'll ever know."

Bailey smiled again. "Oh, I think I know a little bit about that. When I first went aboard the S.S. Tipton, I didn't know anyone either. And Cody, Zack and London all already knew each other and Moseby going in, so they already had their own little group. I'll never forget how they all welcomed me and treated me like one of their own. So, I was happy to return the favor. I'm just glad you feel comfortable with us."

Gertie smiled. "I do. You guys are the best." She paused and laughed. "Of course, from what you've told me, it probably didn't hurt your situation that Cody had an immediate crush on you from practically the beginning."

Bailey laughed too. "Probably not, but meeting Cody was another reason I was so lucky. Besides the fact that I fell for him too, he gave me someone who understood my drive to do well in school and supported it." She stopped and smiled. "And for the record, I'd love for us to be roommates again next year. You are easy to live with, treat your studies seriously, and for some reason, you put up with the three of us."

"Because you guys are a lot like me in a lot of ways. I think I was still in my shell the first semester, but you guys have helped me break out it."

"I'm glad. Maybe you're now ready to find that guy you told me you met last semester..."

Gertie sighed. "I think the chances of that are long gone. I don't think I'll ever see him again."

The first week of April was the actual drawing for the Class of 2015. Being the low men on the totem pole of those who actually got to live in Berkeley Hall, they had the last choice of available rooms. The only thing in their favor was that a lot of people in the two classes ahead of them had decided to move off campus. As per Berkeley tradition, everyone got to draw a number out of a cowboy hat. The Class of 2015 had approximately 1,350 students in it which meant each of the twelve residential colleges had about 112 members of the class. The master of the college gathered the 114 freshman of Berkeley College to hold the ceremony on a Tuesday night. Each group of people wanting to live together prayed that someone in their group would get as high of a number as possible so they would have a better choice of rooms.

When it came their turn, Cody and Tapeworm were gentlemen and let Bailey and Gertie draw before them. Gertie went first, and she was disheartened when she drew number 96.

"Great..."

Bailey smiled. "Have some faith." And Bailey's positive attitude paid off. She drew the number 2. When they both saw her number, Bailey and Gertie hugged and danced around. "We have the second pick!"

For the guys, Cody drew first. And when he saw what his number was, he just shook his head in disgust. "No. 114. Of course..."

Tapeworm laughed. "Well, look at it this way. I'm guaranteed to draw a higher number than you did..."

And he did. While Bailey might have drawn the number 2, Tapeworm pulled out the lucky #1. That time, it was Cody and Tapeworm jumping around and doing the dance of joy.

The college master shook his head and laughed. "You know...this might be the first time I've ever seen two potential roommates draw out number 1 and the highest number. Well, you guys have first choice. Take a look at what's available and let me know what you two want. You have twenty minutes on the clock. After that, number 2 can usurp you. And your time begins...now!"

Immediately, the four of them looked at the map of what was available in Berkeley College. Normally, the South Building was the first to fill up as its where everything was, but they all four noticed something that they couldn't pass up.

"Do you guys see what I see available in North Building on the third and fourth floors?"

And they did. While most sophomore students lived in trips (rooms of three people), somehow, there were two connected singles left, one each on consecutive floors. Connected singles meant that each suite had three rooms – two smaller one person bedrooms with a small common room in between them. None of the four could believe that these were available as seniors to be usually took all of them. And being in the North Building wasn't a big deal as there was an underground tunnel that connected it to the South Building. So, they still wouldn't have to go outside to get to the dining hall. The four of them just looked at each other.

"All in favor of grabbing these two ASAP, say 'aye'!"

Immediately, the other three practically screamed out. "Aye!" "Aye!" "Aye!"

Tapeworm laughed. "Its unanimous then." He turned to the master of the college. "We've both made our choices."

The master smiled. "I kind of figured you two might take those. To be honest, I'm shocked they're still available. Well, they are all yours now." He wrote down their information and marked off those rooms as now occupied. He then leaned in and whispered to them. "If I were you guys, I'd keep to yourselves about your good fortune for the rest of the semester. And I'd go ahead and get out of here if I were you. From past experiences, its going to get very testy and heated in here in a little while when people begin to run out of the options they wanted."

And the four of them heeded his advice and left. Once back outside, Cody turned to Tapeworm.

"Man, you just saved my butt back there!"

Tapeworm grinned and teased him. "You're darn right I did. You owe me, Dude!"

Cody laughed. "Alright. How about I buy you dinner tonight to thank you? We can go somewhere off campus...anywhere you want."

"I could go for that." He paused. "And of course, this means I get to pick which single I want next year first."

"Done!"

"And we're going to have to talk about what we do with the common room. I'm thinking we put the flatscreen in there."

Gertie laughed. "I guess I should offer Bailey the same deal to Bailey. Dinner is on me tonight and first choice of rooms too."

Bailey smiled. "I can go along with that. Why don't we all go out somewhere nice." She paused. "Though, we might want to be back in our rooms a little early. Sounds like there will be some very unhappy people in the dorm tonight we'll want to avoid."

Tapeworm just kept grinning. "Sucks to be them, but I know I'll be happy next year. I'll have a common room and two walls between me and Cody's snoring." He turned to Bailey and laughed. "That will be yours to deal with from now on."

She just laughed too. "Don't remind me..."

Cody looked back and forth between the both of them. "In the words of a roommate who actually liked living with me...Hurtful!"

__To be Continued...__

__**AN: I hope those now on Christmas break are relaxing and taking it easy. Have fun while you can. Now, like I said, the penultimate episode of season 1 should be up around Wednesday with the season finale will be posted on Christmas Eve or Day. The poll on my profile is still open, but I've stopped accepting votes. Turns out if you close it, the results become public. Since I don't want that just yet, it will stay open. And with me stopping accepting votes, I know now how to shape season 2. **


	24. My Boyfriend's Back

_Episode 24_

_"My Boyfriend's Back"_

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

On Friday, April the 13th, Zack stopped back by the office on his way home from class. He had something important to show Moseby, and couldn't wait to see his reaction to it. So, he knocked on Moseby's office door and walked in when he heard a 'come in'. Moseby looked up from his paperwork and saw Zack standing there grinning.

"Zack? What are you doing here? I figured with this being Friday you having Monday off due to Patriot's Day, it would be at least Tuesday before I saw you again..."

Zack reached into his backpack and pulled something out. "Take a look at this."

Moseby took the paper from Zack and looked at it. He nodded and looked up impressed. "You got an A on your Spanish I test. Congratulations."

Zack kept grinning. "Oh, there's more...much, much more. Our professor told us that if we were happy with our grade going into the final, we could keep it as our final grade and skip the final."

"Okay...What's your point?"

"With this test, my grade in that class is a 91.6. And in that class, a 92 and up is an full A. If I can maintain this, Professor Ramirez said she would round my grade up to a 92 and give me an A in the class. So, after I finish my English paper this weekend, I'll only have two finals to take. And with Spanish I being a four hour class, I only need to get B+ in my other classes, and I'll have above a 3.5 this semester."

Moseby checked his calendar again and shrugged. "I guess it is true. Strange, scary and weird things do happen on Friday the 13th..."

Zack rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the support..."

Moseby smiled. "Well, good job, Zack. I must say. I'm very proud of you. I guess I can tell you now what your other summer school class will be."

Zack sunk back into one of the chairs in Moseby's office and relaxed. "Lay it on me."

"It will be an Introduction to Hospitality Administration Course at BU. In fact, I know the professor teaching the course. I had him there myself. I really learned a lot from him."

Zack grinned. "So, you're saying I should avoid him at all costs in the future, huh?"

Moseby glared at him. "I wouldn't if I were you."

"Just kidding. Have you talked to London yet about whether or not I should live in the dorm next year?"

He sighed. "To be honest, I don't know yet. I made some calls, but from what I hear, they're having a shortage on student housing over there especially in co-ed and male dorms. A couple of new dorms were scheduled to be completed by next fall, but I hear there have been some problems causing any potential grand openings to be canceled indefinitely." He paused. "Besides, I thought you liked living in the Tipton Hotel?"

"Well, I do. But I am 18 now. Heck, I'll be 19 in about five months. And I love my Mom. Really, I do. But these past couple of weeks, the thought of having my own freedom and my own place has really begun to appeal to me."

Moseby nodded. "Considering my recent situation, I of all people can definitely understand that..."

"Yeah, but you went from living with one woman who tells you what to do to living with another one..."

"Zack..."

Zack laughed. "I was kidding again. But, it would be nice to be able to stay out late and not have to worry about waking Mom up when I get home. And Moseby, lets not kid each other here. I'm about ready to get back into the game again. How lame would it be for me to ask a girl to come back to my place and have Mom walk in on us..."

Moseby covered his ears. "I don't want to go there."

Zack grinned. "Oh, so your Mom has never caught you and Tut in a compromising position?"

Moseby shuddered. "I really, really don't want to go there with you..."

Zack continued to laugh. "Fair enough. But in all seriousness, see what you can find out."

"I will. So, are you off to work on your English paper?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "I may actually have to go to the library. There's some band in one of the suites down the hall. They're pretty good, and have been using the same room every couple of weeks to stay in while they perform here in Boston. I think they're from Maine. Anyways, normally, I wouldn't mind and go try to party with them while they practice. But they're making way too much noise for me to concentrate on my paper."

Moseby paused and nodded. "I can understand that. What if I said I had a solution?"

"I'm not coming over to your place, Moseby."

He rolled his eyes. "No, not that. Have you ever heard of a secret shopper?"

"Aren't those that people who act like regular customers but are really analyzing you to see how you act customer service wise?"

Moseby grinned. "You have learned something. That's exactly right. We have a London Inn up in Manchester, New Hampshire about an hour from here. Why don't you go up there and get some work done. Keep your receipts, and we'll reimburse you. You'll have peace and quiet to do your paper, and you can report back to us on all the aspects of the place. You know, like cleanliness, room service, things like that."

Zack nodded. "Works for me."

__New Haven__

On that same same Friday the 13th, Cody and Bailey got their own good news in their classes – and some news they didn't think was good at first but turned out to be very good upon further review. The previous Wednesday, they had gotten their seminar papers back, and both had done very well on them. The day before, they had gotten their Economics 122 tests back too, and both had done very well on it as well. That Friday morning, they got back their Molecular Biology exams back, and they were three for three in getting A's. And in addition, their professor announced that the exam during finals would not be comprehensive but rather would only cover the new material covered since the last exam. To Cody and Bailey, that was really good news.

After leaving their Molecular Biology class that Friday, they went and grabbed an early lunch before their physics lab that afternoon. And as they ate, they talked.

"That whole having Monday classes on Friday for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is really screwing things up for us."

Bailey took a sip from her drink. "What do you mean?"

"Well, counting today, we have seven days of classes left. Today, all next week, and then the following Monday. And on that Monday, we go to our usual Friday schedules to make up for the MLK day switch. So, in the span of eleven days, we'll have our physics lab three times! That means we'll have three lab reports due. The one for today's lab due next Friday, the one for next Friday's lab due the next Monday, and I'm guessing the one for that Monday's lab due by the end of reading week..."

She laughed. "Yeah, I guess that is kind of crazy. But look at it this way. Next weekend, we'll only have two classes to prepare for on Monday, so that should make things easier. And then, we'll do that one on Monday right after class so that it doesn't interfere with our reading week schedule."

He sighed. "I guess. I'm glad we went ahead and have most of our freshman seminar projects done. That will leave us with only four finals to take." He paused and smiled. "I am looking forward to next year where we'll have our private single rooms to study in by ourselves so we won't have to worry about using the library if we don't want to."

She smiled as well. "Me too. That will be very nice. Oh, and by the way, Gertie said she's going to bring a flatscreen with her for next year too. She's said its time our common room be used as a social area as well."

Cody laughed. "Tapeworm's talking about us getting a couple of recliners to put in ours so we can watch late night games in comfort."

"And where am I going to sit?"

He smiled. "With me of course. I like to keep you as close to me as possible."

She smiled. "Okay, I'll sign off on that then." She paused. "Wouldn't it be nice if there was something between Tapeworm and Gertie. I mean, they get along so well and have done stuff together when we weren't around..."

"Boo Boo. We aren't matchmakers. Besides, from what I've heard from him, he's still holding out hope of finding his Catwoman from the Halloween party again. He says he felt like he made a connection to her."

"I don't know about all of that. I remember what you did for Woody to get him together with Addison..." She sighed. "But I know what you mean. Gertie met someone first semester too that she keeps hoping she'll run into again. Why couldn't she be his Catwoman?" She paused and looked at Cody. "Wait a minute! Do you think..."

Cody shook his head. "Bails, On a campus of over five thousand students, the odds of that happening are astronomical..."

Bailey sighed again. "I know. You're right. I guess that's just wishful thinking on my part. I can't help it though. I want everyone to be as happy as I am."

He smiled. "We found our own happiness. Let them find theirs in their own ways." He checked his watch. "Its almost noon. Why don't we grab our drinks and head on over to physics building? Maybe our midterm exam grades have been posted?"

"Good idea. Lets go."

And that's what they did. And when they got there, their midterm grades were indeed right there on the wall. When they saw them, both were disappointed with their grades. By other people's standards, they had still done well. But by their own, they weren't happy. Both had gotten in the mid 80's on the exam, and both were about to grumble about it when they noticed the other scores in the class. The next highest grade they saw that someone had was a 63.

Cody shrugged. "Well, we knew it was a brutal exam, and I guess that proves it. All things considered, I guess we did pretty well after all."

Bailey pointed to a note at the bottom of the page. "Look at this Cody! Its a note from the professor. 'I was severely disappointed with the class's performance on this exam. The average grade on the exam was a 47. Normally, I don't do curves, but I feel I have to or else two thirds of the class would probably flunk. So, whatever you see your grade to be, add 20 points to it.'" She turned to Cody and grinned. "Looks like we both got over a hundred on it after all..."

He grinned too. "That makes us four for four then..." He was about to continue when someone else came up to check his score. And both just listened to him mumbling.

"I swear the professor was high on something when he wrote that test." He shook his head. "A 51. I'd like to meet who those two people who scored in the 80's. I'd kick their asses for ruining it for the rest of us..."

Cody swallowed and looked at Bailey. "I think we should get moving on to our lab..."

__Boston__

Zack did end up going to Manchester, and he was successful in finishing his English research paper in peace and quiet. Of course, as he was also working, he took good notes on how well or how poorly he was treated as a guest of the inn. And the Manchester London Inn would soon feel the wrath of Moseby for how poorly the staff treated Zack. While he got his peace and quiet, the level of hospitality was severely lacking as was the quality of the room service food.

When he got back to the Tipton on Sunday evening, he was about to head back to his suite when he noticed Esteban standing in an open doorway down the hallway. Zack walked down to say something to him when he noticed his old friend had a horrified look on his face. And looking inside the room, Zack understood why – the room could be best described as a disaster area.

"Whoa!"

Esteban could only nod. "I know...Its destroyed!"

Zack paused. "I was out of town. I have receipts to prove it. I had nothing to do with this..."

Esteban sighed. "I know. It was that band. They got a little rowdy after their show last night..."

Zack just looked at him. "A little rowdy? By the looks of the damage they did, I guess you could say the tornado that hit Kettlecorn last year was just a little rowdy."

Esteban hung his head. "I know..." He almost began crying. "Oh, Dios Mio! This is a disaster!"

Zack could only nod. "A disaster area at least..."

"The band has no money, and this is going to cost a fortune to repair. Mr. Tipton is going to kill me!"

Zack paused again as the gears in his mind began turning. "Maybe not." He wrapped his arm around Esteban's shoulder. "Esteban old buddy, I have an idea that might help the both of us. We need to go find London and talk to her though..."

__New Haven__

The next couple of weeks proceeded along at Yale as normal as could be. Cody and Bailey did finish their three physics labs in eleven days, and moved on to reading week after finishing their last lab report. And fortunately, their finals schedule wasn't that bad. Their first final would be on Tuesday, May 1 at 9:00, and it was going to be their PHYS 201 final. They were happy to get it out of the way first. Then, they had ECON 122 on Thursday at 9:00 AM followed by ECON 121 on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 PM. Finally, their Molecular Biology final would be on Monday morning at 9:00 AM. That would give them almost 48 hours afterwards to pack before the dorms closed to underclassmen on that Wednesday at noon.

So, like the semester before, the broke up their studying. Tuesday and half of Wednesday would be devoted to studying biology. Then, the other half of Wednesday and Thursday would be devoted to microeconomics while Friday and half of Saturday would be spent on macroeconomics. After lunch on Saturday until Monday night would be spent studying physics.

On Tuesday morning of reading week, they went to drop off their final lab report before meeting Tapeworm and Gertie for an early breakfast. And from there, they all split off into their separate directions again. Cody and Bailey headed off to the library and immediately made their way to the hidden away area they had found that was perfect for studying. Before they began though, Cody turned to Bailey.

"Is it just me, or is the end of this school year a whole lot less hectic than last year?"

She smiled. "Of course it is. They aren't trying to tear down Yale around us, and we don't have the cloud of where will be the next year hanging over our heads."

"Very true." He paused. "Thank you again for everything you did to help me get in here. The past year has been one of the best of my life."

"Of mine too...but that's because I got to do this with you. You don't have to keep thanking me for that." She grinned. "Besides, thanks to you, we've both got to go here for free. More than that, thanks to the generous stipends, we've got to actually make money of this deal."

He laughed. "Yeah, we have. Which means, next Christmas when we head to Kettlecorn, we splurge for the next to cheapest car they have..."

Bailey laughed too. "Yeah, that might be a good idea. And with no wedding to get back for next year, can we get a flight back to Boston at a more reasonable hour?"

"Consider it done." He paused. "Speaking of car rides, I can't tell you how much more I'm looking forward to ride back to Boston this year over the one last year."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah. They won't even compare. Last year, especially after we stopped by the admissions office here, the whole ride home was Zack and I sulking in the back seat for different reasons and Mom and Dad continuing to argue over had the better music career. It was miserable." He smiled. "This year, it will be just you and me heading back to begin wonderful opportunities for us to forward our future careers."

"Yeah, my trip home last year wasn't much fun either." She smiled. "Though, the one home from the mathlympics was much better. Both times, I missed you like crazy, but on the latter one, I knew that we were going to both be here after all. And that thought gave me a warm feeling all over."

"I'm glad."

Bailey paused as something Cody said crossed her mind. "Cody, can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can."

"I've gotten to really know your Mom and your Grandmother, and they're both great. But I've only met your Dad once. Will I get to meet him again?"

Cody paused. "I hope so. He was supposed to stop by New Haven sometime this year and see us, but it never materialized. But, I do keep sending him e-mails updating him on what's going on with our lives."

"No offense, but after what I heard at graduation, you think he's read all of them?"

Cody paused again. "I don't know. I mean, again, I hope so. But Dad's very busy with his band and his career. I understand he doesn't have a lot of free time."

Bailey was about to say something, but decided against it. But Cody noticed this.

"What?"

"Its nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Come on, Boo Boo. Tell me. No more secrets, remember?"

She sighed. "I know, but I was just thinking that I've known you for almost four years, and I can only think of a couple of times that your Dad came to see you and Zack. That just seemed kind of odd to me, that's all."

Cody nodded. "I know, but what can I do about it? I'm living my life right now away from the rest of my family, so I can't really blame him for doing the same thing. I'm pursuing my dream, and so is he..."

"I don't know, Honey. Can we forget I even brought this topic up?"

"Of course." Cody paused and smiled. "But, I can promise you this. I will be so involved in our kids lives that they'll get sick of seeing me."

Bailey smiled. "We both will." She leaned over and kissed him. "You think I'll like living in Boston this summer?"

Cody nodded. "I sure hope so. I will have to forewarn you though. Living in the hotel can be kind of crazy. But, after living on the ship for three years, I think you're prepared for it. Now, Boston in the summer can be very interesting. For as far north as it is, we can still get heat waves there where you can fry eggs on the sidewalks."

She laughed. "Sounds like fun."

"Oh it is, but just wait until the 4th of July. Naturally, Boston does it up right. There are all kinds of street festivals and fairs, and then the Boston Pops put on a great performance with fireworks that night. Its something you'll have to experience in person."

"I look forward to it." Bailey smiled. "And for some crazy reason, I'm actually looking forward to living with London again."

Cody laughed. "That's right. We'll both have second summer jobs too. I haven't produced an episode of Yay Me! since before I left for the boat. I hope I remember how."

"And I hope Ivana will actually remember who I am and not fight me on taking her for walks."

"Bails...She weighs about three pounds. Worst case scenario, you just pick her up and carry her outside."

She laughed. "True."

He smiled. "And another perk I'm looking forward to is to actually get to be with you on your birthday this year."

She smiled back. "Me too. Would you mind if I picked that as one of the weekends we went back to Kettlecorn though?"

"Not at all. I think that's a good idea." Cody checked his watch. "Okay, we should get started studying. We only have a week this time to get done everything we need to get done."

Bailey nodded. "You're right." She smiled. "Lets just hope all of our hard work now will pay off as well as it did over spring break."

__Boston__

That Friday afternoon, Zack and Amanda walked out of their last final of the year and potentially last ever final at Beacon Hill Community College. And as they left, both were in a good mood.

"I have to admit, Zack. I'm impressed. With only two finals, you busted your butt all of last week studying."

He grinned. "Yeah. And you know what, it felt pretty good. I know all I needed was a B+ in each class, but I wanted better than that."

"Well, I'm still ticked off at you. You actually got an A- in our English class, and I only got an B+!"

Zack laughed. "What can I say. I was a man motivated. I really want to get into BU. What about you though? You know where your next school is?"

She smiled. "Yeah, I do. Looks like you won't be done with seeing me around campus just yet. BU has a good school of management. I've been accepted there to pursue a degree in business administration."

"Congratulations! Looks like we're both soon to be...Terriers."

"Yeah, about that. They really do need a new mascot, don't they? How many people are intimidated by a school who's mascot main threat is biting your ankles?"

Zack laughed again. "Tell me about. Cody's already pointed out that both our mascots will be dogs, but that his bulldogs are a lot cooler."

"Just remind him that Yale sports suck at everything except hockey, and BU beat them in that..."

"I would, but for some reason, I doubt he would really care."

She shrugged. "Probably not. How about we go celebrate being done?"

"I would, but our macro grades will be posted in about an hour, and our Geology professor said if I gave him that long, he'd let me know how I did in there. I'm anxious to know what my final GPA is."

Amanda nodded. "Understandable. How about we go get something to drink while we wait? With how hot it is today, I have the feeling this summer is going to be a scorcher."

And that's what they did. When they returned to the main classroom building, the macroeconomics grades were indeed posted. And it was Zack's turn to be a little upset.

"You got an A- to my B+! How is that fair? We did our projects together and studied for all of our tests together!"

Amanda laughed. "You got the B+ you needed. Stop complaining!"

"Oh yeah..." He paused. "Time to go see Professor Rockford."

She shook her head. "With a name like that, he was doomed to teaching geology from the start, wasn't he?"

And when they got to his office, Professor Rockford looked up and smiled. "I figured I'd see about now, Zack."

"Do you have my final graded?"

"I do. And I have to say, you didn't get a B+ in my class..."

Zack's shoulders slumped. "Oh..."

He grinned. "You got an A. Looks like we're losing you to BU afterall. Congratulations!"

Zack lit up. "I did? Yes! I got a...ummm..." He pulled out his cell phone and did some quick math on its calculator. "...a 3.76! Yes!"

Amanda smiled. "Good job! How about we go celebrate now?"

Zack grinned. "You're on! And I'm in such a good mood, I'm buying!"

They agreed to head home and change and give Zack time to tell his Mom, London and Moseby the good news. Zack said he felt like driving and would pick Amanda up later at her house. Everyone was happy for and proud of him. And London even had good news for him.

"The idea you had a couple of weeks ago? I talked to Daddy, and he's agreeable to it."

That put Zack in an even better mood, and when he got to Amanda's house, he told her the other news he had just gotten. And she just shook her head.

"This has been a good day for you."

"Yeah, it has. Lets go celebrate."

Amanda opened the door for them to head out when both saw a guy standing there about their age. And he just looked back and forth between Zack and Amanda.

"Amanda?"

Zack turned to her to see that she had gone a little pale and looked shock. "Jake? What are you doing here?"

He paused. "I'm back from Brazil. I just got in an hour ago, and I came here to immediately see you..." He looked at Zack. "Who's this?"

Amanda was still in shock. "This is Zack...he's...ummm...my...ummm...boyfriend!"

Zack just turned to look at her in surprise.

__To be Continued...__

____**AN: The bad news is I fell asleep before posting this last night. The good news is I have the next two days off, so I will begin writing Season 2. Sitting in traffic on the commutes home every morning and afternoon, I think I have the bulk of Season 2 planned out in my mind. I know of at least one former character from each of SLOZAC and SLOD that will be returning as well as finally explaining the change in London.**


	25. I Got 99 Problems

_Episode 25_

__"I Got 99 Problems"__

__I don't own these characters, but it would be nice if I did.__

__Wait...In this story, I created some of the characters, so I will actually own them.__

__Anyways, I do promise to keep them true to themselves.__

__And as to the ones I create, who they are is up to me, so...__

__Boston__

Standing around the front door of the Miller house were three people who were all thinking vastly different things. One on hand, you had Zack who was still trying to figure out what was going on exactly, but he thought he had a pretty good guess. Then you had Amanda who was still trying to recover from the shock of seeing and hearing from her ex-boyfriend for the first time in almost a year. Finally, there was the other guy, Jake, who had come to see his ex in hopes of trying rekindle something with her. But her statement of having a new boyfriend had crashed his hopes for that and made the situation extremely awkward. And feeling that sting, Jake wanted nothing than to get out of there as soon as possible.

"Boyfriend? I...ummm...I had no idea. I...uhhh...I have to go." And with that, he made a hasty retreat back to his car. And once he was gone, Zack closed the door behind him. He turned to check on his friend who still looked she had seen a ghost.

"I'm taking it that was your ex, huh?"

She looked up at Zack. "Yeah, I..." She paused and put her hands up to her mouth. "Oh my God! I am so, so sorry for telling him that you were my boyfriend! I was so surprised to see him standing there that I just panicked..."

Zack smiled. "Don't worry about it. You just kind of surprised me by saying that at first. But I understand. I can't say how I would have reacted in the same situation."

She sighed. "Thanks. I appreciate that."

"You still look frazzled. Maybe we should put off our celebration for another night."

"I think that would be a really good idea. Would you mind?"

"Nah. I can tell you've got a lot on your mind right now. I take it him showing up has really thrown you for a loop that you need time to think about."

Amanda walked over to the couch and sat down. "Yeah, it has. You have no idea how much it has..."

Zack sat down next to her. "Enlighten me then."

She sighed again. "I hadn't seen him in a year. And I thought I was over him. But seeing him again, I...I don't know. It felt like someone punched me in the stomach."

He nodded. "So, you still have feelings for him?"

"I don't know. Like I said, I thought I was over him and ready to move on with my life." She looked at Zack. "Is it possible to be completely furious with someone and still have strong feelings for them at the same time?"

Zack smiled. "Yeah, it is. Its like what the Codester told me when I was first dealing with Maya dumping me. Its the people who mean the most to you that have the power to hurt you the worst."

Amanda just shook her head. "Great..."

"Tell you what. You just let me know when you're feeling better and ready to do something. Then, we're going to have some fun. After this past semester, we both deserve it."

She gave him a small smile. "Thanks. You're a good friend, Zack..."

He laughed. "Just a friend? I've been downgraded already?"

Amanda laughed too. "Yeah. Sorry about that..."

Zack paused. "Well, if you want me to do some acting and pretend to be your boyfriend to get back at him some, just let me know."

She just looked at him and nodded. "I appreciate that. And...I might just take you up on your offer..."

__New Haven __

The next Saturday afternoon, about six o'clock that evening, Cody and Bailey arrived back at LW after finishing their Microeconomics final. And both were happy to only have one final left. When Cody opened up the door to his room, he saw Tapeworm was packing up some of his things into a bag.

"Don't tell me you're already done with finals..."

Tapeworm turned to him and smiled. "Yup. Just finished my last one about an hour ago. Figured I'd go ahead and begin packing up my stuff so I can get out of here tomorrow. After these past two weeks, I'm kind of getting sick of looking at this place."

"I can't say I blame you. You will have dinner tonight and breakfast in the morning with us before you leave, right?"

He laughed. "Yeah, I can do that. I can finish packing tonight while you two head back to the library and study. I'll return our refrigerator tomorrow morning before I leave."

Cody smiled. "Well, its been a fun first year. I look forward to us moving up to our deluxe apartment in the sky next fall though."

Tapeworm laughed again. "Me too. I may have to make a trip up to Boston over the summer to see you guys and Zack again. Who knows? Between all of us, maybe we can finally solve the mystery of what happened to Max?"

"Sounds like a plan to me."

Tapeworm sighed. "Maybe this is the summer I finally solve the mystery of finding a girl who actually likes me?"

"You will, buddy. Just be patient."

The next morning, Cody, Bailey and Gertie said and hugged Tapeworm goodbye after breakfast. And once again, everyone told him that they fully expected him to keep in touch with them over the summer. After breakfast that day, he packed his car up and headed home. The remaining three of the quartet returned back to studying. And with Tapeworm now gone, Cody and Bailey moved their base of operations back to Cody's room which he now had all to himself.

The next day was Monday, and after an early breakfast, Cody and Bailey found a quiet place near their testing room to review their notes one last time before their exam. And when it was over, both walked out sighing in relief knowing they had just finished their freshman years of college. But there would be no rest for the weary. They had to get back and pack. And another bit of fortune smiled down up on them as they returned to LW. On one of the side streets by their dorm, a free parking space was open. So, while Bailey stood in the middle of it to reserve it, Cody caught the shuttle bus over to their parking garage to get the car. And while he was gone, Bailey got her fair share of dirty looks for people wanting the space too, but she just smiled and waved them on. Finally, about twenty minutes later, Cody arrived back with the car which would make their moving out a whole lot easier.

Back upstairs, each headed to their own rooms to begin packing. And when Bailey got to hers, Gertie had her head buried in her Architecture History text book. She looked up when Bailey entered and smiled.

"All done now?"

Bailey smiled back. "Yeah. Now, its time to pack up. I'll try to be quick about it though so I can get out of your hair. I'll just take everything and store it down in Cody's room."

Gertie sighed. "Lucky you. My last exam is tomorrow afternoon at 2:00. Of course, I would have a test in the last slot of the semester."

"True, but look at it this way, you have all this extra time to study."

"I guess. So, when are you two heading out tomorrow?"

"Right after breakfast. That way, we figure we'll avoid both morning and afternoon rush hour traffic in Boston."

Gertie nodded. "Probably a good idea."

"And you?"

"My flight leaves Wednesday afternoon. I'm dropping off some boxes to mail home later, and the university airport shuttle is picking me up here Wednesday at eleven that morning."

Bailey smiled. "Well, if you have time, we'd love for you to have breakfast with us in the morning."

Gertie smiled back. "I'd love to."

And that's what they did. After the final early breakfast with Gertie, they hugged and said goodbye to her too.

"Now, we fully expect you to keep in touch with us over the summer. We'll try to coordinate it so that we move in on the same day in August. And if you're in Boston over the summer, you better look us up."

Gertie smiled. "I will. You two have fun this summer with your jobs, and I'll see you both next fall when we're all in the big house."

With that, Cody and Bailey headed back to LW to begin loading their things into the car, and that only took them about an hour. At 9:00 AM, they handed in their room and mailbox keys, got in the car and began their drive back to Boston. They waved goodbye to New Haven knowing the next time they were there, they'd be sophomores.

__Boston__

A little before noon, Cody and Bailey pulled into the Tipton parking garage. And once they got out of the car and stretched their legs, they looked at each other.

"Unload everything now or later?"

Bailey paused and thought. "Might as well do it now while we're thinking about it. If we don't, we might get too comfortable doing what were doing and not want to deal with it."

"Good point. Alright, I'll go grab us a luggage cart. I think we can fit everything on to one of them."

And after quickly planning out how they were going to do it, they did fit everything on to one luggage cart. Of course, it was extremely full and it took both of them pushing and pulling on it just to get it to budge. Once up in the lobby, Bailey stopped by the front desk to see if London was there. She wasn't, but Esteban had a key to the penthouse at the front desk waiting on her. Once she had it, they pushed the cart over to the elevator. Long story short, they spent the next thirty minutes unloading Bailey's things in the penthouse before taking the cart back down to the 23rd floor for Cody to unload his. And when they walked into the suite, they found Zack sitting on the couch eating a sandwich.

Cody frowned. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

Zack rolled his eyes. "They have this new concept called a lunch hour..."

Cody paused. "Oh...I guess that makes sense."

"Well, I guess you two are back for a few months huh? I guess I'll have to get used to seeing you two around and living with Broseph again."

Bailey nodded. "I guess so." She yawned. "Cody Bear, I think I'm ready for a nap..."

"Me too, Boo Boo..."

Zack faked gagging. "I think I liked Cody Kitten and Bailey Bunny better than those two. Anyways, before you two get too comfortable, I have something to show you."

He headed out of the suite and down the hallway with Cody and Bailey just shrugging and following him. Reaching into his pocket, he fished out his keys and unlocked the door down the hall.

Cody sighed. "Don't tell me you stole keys to another suite again..."

Zack grinned. "Nope, these were actually given to me..." He opened the door to show them the inside of the room.

Cody and Bailey walked in and looked around in shock. Bailey shook her head. "Has FEMA been called in yet? This place is a mess..."

Cody turned to Zack. "Don't tell me you had something to do with this..."

"I'm completely innocent...this time. It was a band that did this after one of their shows."

Cody looked around again. "Okay...So, why are you showing this to us? Why would I care about what a band did in here?"

Zack grinned. "Because, Broseph...this suite is ours...yours and mine!"

Both Cody and Bailey whipped their heads and stared at him in confusion. "Huh?"

"Well, you guys know all about me going to BU next year right?"

They both nodded. "Yeah..."

"One of the remaining questions was whether I would move into the dorm or stay living here. Well, the idea of having my own place really started sounding good. But, BU is having housing shortages. So, it looked like I was going to have to still live with Mom. Then, I got lucky and this happened. As a reward for getting a 3.76 this semester, London agreed with my suggestion."

"Which is...?"

"If you and I fixed this suite up, we could have it to live in free of charge!"

Cody looked at his brother like he was crazy. "And why would I want to do that? Zack, I'm only going to be living here for at the most, four months a year. And this looks like a lot of work!"

"Come on, Bro...it'll be fun..."

Cody shook his head. "Sorry, Zack. I don't think so. In case you've forgotten, I have a summer job that will take up a lot of my time. Beyond that, I want to spend as much time with Bailey as possible."

Zack grinned as he was about to pull out the ace up his sleeve. "Okay, think about it this way. With you living here, you can slip up to the penthouse or Bailey slip down here without Mom ever knowing..."

And he was right. That definitely got Cody's attention. Cody paused to seriously consider the idea now. And if that wasn't enough to sway him, Bailey linked her arm with his.

"You know, Cody. This would be a good project for us to work on together. It would be a good chance to see how much I've taught you in the wood shop this year..."

He looked at her. "You really think so?"

She smiled. "I know so. And...for maybe the first time in his life, Zack does make a very good point."

Cody nodded. "I know...Scary, isn't it?" He paused to think again before turning to Zack. "One quick question though. We'd have to have materials and all new furniture for this place..."

Zack grinned and cut him off. "Already got it covered. Arwin said he would give us all the materials we need and even help us out fixing it up too. As for furniture, he said there was some old furniture left down in the basement."

Cody frowned. "I thought he burned all of that up several years ago when we got stuck in that blizzard?"

"He did, but supposedly, there was some remodeling done while we were on the ship, so there's more now."

"Alright. Now, if I agree to this, I'll have a couple of requirements."

"Just name them."

Cody smirked. "For one, you fix up your own room, and I'll fix up my own. The common areas will be join efforts. And I fully expect you to do your half...and I do mean half of the work. This won't be like Christmas where we did things in thirds. Bailey may be helping, but she's doing that out of the goodness of her heart."

Zack rolled his eyes again. "Fine."

"Second, while I'm away from school, no one uses my room without my express permission. Don't assume I would be okay with anything. And that means my room is off limits to you as well."

Zack sighed. "Geez..."

"And third, I expect you to do your equal share to keep it clean and cook your own food. I won't be your housekeeper or personal chef here, Zack."

"You know, Codester. You sure do know how to turn something fun into something that's not..."

Cody shrugged. "Those are my initial conditions, but I'll probably have more later. If you can't abide by those, we'll leave now and head back to the suite."

Zack shook his head. "Fine. I agree."

Cody smiled. "Good. Now, I..." He paused. "Wait a minute...how did Mom react to all of this?"

"Well...ummm..." Zack hemmed and hawed. "I was kind of hoping you would tell her..."

Cody shook his head. "Nope. Sorry. I'm out of here!"

Zack sighed and grabbed his brother's arm before he could leave. "Fine. We'll tell her together. Come on, Codester. Do this for me. You're out on your own and living your own life. Let me do the same..."

"Well..."

Zack closed his eyes. "If you do, I promise I will never live on yours and Bailey's couch ever in my life!"

Cody turned to Bailey who was nodding her head vigorously. He nodded too. "Will you put that in writing, Zack?"

"Anything! Will you please do this for me?"

Cody looked around and sighed. "We're going to need trash bags, paint and a lot of spackle..."

Zack grinned and hugged his brother. "Thank you! Thank you!"

Cody turned to Bailey. "I really need that nap now..."

She smiled. "Agreed. Once we wake up, we can begin cleaning up this place."

Zack smiled. "Good. You two do that while I have to go back to work."

__The Offices of London Inns, Inc.__

About four thirty that afternoon, Zack began winding everything up for the day. He had gotten done everything he needed to, so he decided to head home early. Besides, he and Cody had to sit down their mother and tell her what was going on. While he wasn't particularly looking forward to doing that, he was anxious to get started on his new place. He was shutting down his computer when there was a knock at his door. Looking up, he saw Amanda standing in his doorway.

"Hey...What brings you down here?"

She paused. "I want to take you up on your offer..."

"What offer was that exactly?"

"The one where you would pretend to be my boyfriend so I could get some revenge on Jake."

"Oh..." He smiled. "What do you need me to do?"

"Well, his parents are throwing a party on Saturday. Its an annual fundraiser, and my family has attended it for years. We bought a table for it, and I was hoping you would go with me as my..." She held her fingers up in quotation marks. "...date."

Zack laughed. "Do I need to find a tux?"

Amanda sighed in relief. "If you could, that would be amazing. My sister, Kathy and her boyfriend, Barry will be there too. And there's room if you want to bring Cody and Bailey with you so you know other people there."

"I'll mention it to them, but I think I can talk them into it. Any other special instructions I should know about?"

She paused. "I don't know yet. Let me think about it. But...you know...just try to make it as realistic as possible."

Zack smiled. "Consider it done. Just let me know what time you want me to pick you up on Satuday night. I'll make sure the top is down on my car. Seeing you with me in it should really get to this Jake guy..."

__Tipton Hotel__

Zack and Cody sat on either side of Carey, both trying to soothe their crying mother.

"Mom...You're only looking at the downside of this. Look at the positives. We'll only be down the hall from you, so its not like we're moving across the country or heading back to the boat. You'll still see us everyday. Well, at least me. Cody's going to leave to head back to school in a few months, but I'll still be here for you..."

Carey cried even more that her babies were leaving her again as Cody shot daggers at Zack. He decided to try a different approach. "And think about it this way, Mom. You'll actually have a bedroom to yourself now. You won't ever have to sleep on that lumpy pull out sofa ever again..."

Carey looked up at him. "I guess that's true."

Cody smiled. "And think about it this too. Never again will you have to cook for Zack or make sure he's awake on time or clean up after him or do his laundry ever again..."

This time, it was Zack staring daggers at his brother. But before he could dispute that, Carey perked up a little bit.

"Those are really good points, Cody. I actually like the sound of that." She paused and smiled. "You guys are right. This is a good thing. And you guys will just be down the hall. I'll still see you as much as I ever will." She began laughing. "I don't know what I was so upset about, but this is going to work out great!"

Cody looked over at Bailey, swiped his forehead and mouthed a 'whew' to her. She just smiled and shook her head. Carey stood up. "I really appreciate you guys taking the time to tell me about this. Alright, I need to get going to my rehearsal. I'll see you all later." And with that, she headed out of the suite.

Zack continued staring at his brother and smacked his shoulder. "Thanks a lot, Broseph!"

"Zack. Mom is accepting this and actually happy about it. Wasn't that our goal in all of this?"

Zack grumbled and nodded. "Fine. But you two owe me big for this!"

Bailey just looked at him. "What exactly do we owe you for?"

"That doesn't matter right now. But you can make it up to me by agreeing to help me out on Saturday. And Codester, get your tux ready..."

__New Haven__

About that same time, Gertie returned back from her last final of her freshman year. And when she got back to her room, she fell back on her bed to relax and breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness that's over! All I have to do is finish packing and be ready when the shuttle picks me up."

Deciding she would relax after she was packed up, she pulled all of her bags from underneath her bed. Starting with her clothes, she began folding everything and putting them in her bags. Leaving herself a change of clothes for the next day, she moved on to taking down her personal effects she had all over the room. She could box them up and drop it off at the post office in the morning. Finally, she had everything packed up except for her laptop. And when she walked over to it, she saw an envelope was placed on top of it with a note written on the front.

__'Just some pictures of all of us so you wouldn't forget what we looked like over the summer. And, in case someone really wanted to know what we all looked like. Talk to you soon, Bailey.'__

Gertie just shook her and and smiled. She opened the envelope, and began looking through them. There were several pictures taken during the blizzard and even more during spring break. But when she got to one towards the end, her eyes went wide. Quickly, she flipped it over and noticed Bailey had written a description on the back.

__'Bailey, Cody, Tapeworm, and Cody's twin brother Zack before we headed out for the big Halloween Bash'__

Gertie flipped it back over and stared at it again. There was Cody and Bailey dressed as Robin Hood and Maid Marian. And there was a guy dressed as Zorro who looked enough like Cody that she deduced that he must be Cody's twin brother. And then there was the fourth person. The back of the photo said it was Tapeworm. But in the photo, he was dressed as Captain America. She laughed to herself as she thought that was a coincidence. And that's when she remembered that her cousin had been playing that silly game with someone dressed as Zorro. She flipped back to the picture

"That must have been Zack..."

And that's when it fully registered on her. "Wait a minute! Tapeworm was _MY_ Captain America that night?"

__Boston__

Cody and Bailey just looked at each in surprise after Zack had explained what he needed them to do.

"I'm not sure this is a real good idea, Bro."

Zack rolled his eyes. "Of course its a good idea. Its a great idea! This guy treated her like dirt, and we're going to help teach him a lesson."

Bailey shook her head. "But we don't even know this guy. Trust us, we've learned there are always two sides to every story. I just think you're asking for trouble by agreeing to this."

Zack smirked. "Am I? Hmmm. Let me think. I remember once Cody told someone that you were his girlfriend when you weren't yet. And as I recall, you said if he had just asked you to pretend, you would have been happy to doso. And, you two are engaged to be engaged now, so I'd say it worked out pretty well for the both of you when you did it..."

Both Cody and Bailey winced. Cody sighed. "Fine." He paused and stared at his brother. "Wait a minute...Are you doing this because you like Amanda as more than a friend now?"

Zack began laughing. "No. But she is a friend of mine, and I want to help her out."

Cody sighed again. "Alright. We'll help. But I'm getting a really bad feeling about this..."

Zack got up to get him a drink out of the refrigerator. "Codester, you worry too much."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Zack laughed as he walked over to answer it. "This plan is perfect. Its foolproof. There is absolutely nothing that can go wrong"

He opened the door, and Zack's eyes went wide and his mouth fell open in shock as he saw those familiar eyes staring back at him.

"Maya?"

__To be Continued...in Season 2...Coming in 2012__

**AN: Alright, I'm guessing you can see what two of the major story arcs in Season 2 will be now. Anyways, I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, a Happy Kwanzaa, a Joyful Festivus or simply a Happy Holidays. Season 2 will begin in 2012 as its own story. So, keep an eye out for it.**


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